


I Didn't know I Would Need You This Much

by Swood3133



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Depression, Drinking, Eating Disorders, Eventual Smut, Fear, Fluff and Angst, HankxConnor - Freeform, Hannor, Healing, Human!Connor, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Nightmares, Protectiveness, Smoking, android!hank, hankcon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2019-10-08 16:45:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 76,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17390006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swood3133/pseuds/Swood3133
Summary: Connor has to learn to work and live with, his partner, Hank who is an android. Connor is angry, depressed and can't wait for his life to end. That is until he starts to spend more time with Hank. Hank is changing him for the better, but Connor is scared. How is this machine that was programmed to not feel anything, teaching Connor to feel, to love and to grow?





	1. The Beginning

Hank arrived at the precinct right on time, adjusting the lapels of his jacket and straightening his tie. The man's gray hair was tied into a small bun at the back of his head, showing off his blue glowing LED, cycling yellow briefly as he took in the building and the people walking around it trying to take in as much information as he possibly could. 

It was still quite warm for mid-September, some people walking around in short sleeves and others wearing light sweaters. Hank was proud to see some androids were walking around of their own accord, not being controlled or ordered around, free to do as they please. It struck him that there could be many more androids than the naked eye could see, some had chosen to remove their LEDs since the revolution. 

He was happy to say that he was a slight part of the revolution. Him and his partner of course, Connor Anderson. They were assigned to the deviant case and instead of arresting the androids who were breaking free of their programming, they aided them and therefore allowed the revolution to continue. It was a small part, but helpful all the same. Hank slowly walked into the building, nodding to the receptionist who allowed him into the back. He sauntered over to his desk and noticed that his partner has not arrived yet, not unusual.

Connor was a very cold man, very distant and he always seemed to be angry and irritated at something. Since Hank had deviated, he had also noticed that Connor was considered attractive to most people. Dark brown, slightly curly hair, about average height but not as strong as other people his size. Hank had also noticed that Connor tended to drink almost every night, he smoked as well and hardly ever ate, and when he did eat, it was very unhealthy food. 

Hank had hoped that he would be able to help Connor with his deep-seated issues while they were paired together during the revolution but was unable to get Connor to open up to him. Hank was saddened that throughout his time with the twenty-eight-year-old, he deviated, allowing him to fell so many amazing emotions, while Connor was still sad and angry, all the time. Thankfully for him, he was offered to stay at the precinct to be Connors partner after the revolution had ended. 

Hank had been told by the other officers at the precinct that Connor would never change. Since his twin brother died three years ago, Connor had never even cracked a smile. However, Hank did like challenges. Connor being the youngest Lieutenant in the history of Detroit, also proved that he was able to overcome obstacles. 

It was about an hour later when Connor finally staggered into the precinct, slumping into his chair at the desk beside Hank, groaning as he brought a hand to his temple, rubbing softly. 

“It's a pleasure to see you, Lieutenant, however, your shift started an hour ago,” Connor huffed softly, raising his head to look at Hank, “Get off my back Hank, I get here when I get here. Weren't you supposed to go back to Cyberlife after the whole revolution thing was over with anyway?” Connor asked, annoyance lacing his voice. 

Hank smiled slightly, indifferent to Connor sour attitude. “Thankfully, I was allowed to continue my work with you if I wished, so here I am,” Hank chirped. Conner brought his gaze back to his desk, laying his head down on his now folded arms. “Yippie,” He muttered. 

Hank sat with perfect posture as he scanned the man next to him, something his did regularly, given Connors poor regard for his own health. “Lieutenant your temperature is a bit high and your heart rate is accelerated, you should try to relax.” 

Connor pushed his chair away from the desk and stood and shot Hank a glare, “I just need a smoke Hank,” Connor was about to stand when Hank placed his hard on his arm, “I suggest you try to stop smoking, it is very bad for your health,” Connor chuckled as he shook off the android's hand.

“Anything that kills me faster is a welcomed activity by me,” Before Hank could comment on Conner changing his bleak outlook on life, the man stood but swayed drastically, almost toppling over if it wasn't for his hand holding onto the desk to steady him. 

Hank was beside him in a flash, putting his hands on the man's shoulder to keep him upright. “Lieutenant, look at me, look at me” Connor hadn't even noticed that his eyes had been closed, when he opened them he had a hard time keeping his eyes trained on the man in front of him, Hank shook him just slightly, keeping his voice steady, calm and his face void of fear.

“Connor, look at me please, I have to know what is wrong with you,” It took Connor a second before he kept his eyes on the Android, when he looked up at him he shook his hands off of him and continued to walk towards the building's exit. 

“I'm fine Hank, I just need a smoke.” Connor scoffed as he exited the door. Hank made his way back to his chair and sat down, searching through all his databases to hopefully find what could be ailing his young partner. After about ten minutes of looking, Connor finally returned and took his seat and Hank had had a good idea of what could be bothering him. 

“Lieutenant,” The android started, Connor sighed and turned his terminal on, waiting for it to load up, 

“Yes Hank, what is it?” 

“When was the last time you ate?”

Connor whipped his head over to the older-looking man, eyes wide in confusion, “What the fucks that supposed to mean?” He snarled. Without a flinch at the harsh tone, Hank continued. “I believe that maybe the cause for your dizziness and fatigue. Left untreated, it could lead to more pressing issues, leaving you weak and sick” Connor shook his head and looked back to his terminal, anger buzzing just under the surface of his skin at the thought of someone accusing him of such things

“Who said I was tired? Just get started on the paperwork Hank,” Conner stated gesturing to the terminal. “I don’t want to talk about this right now,” Connor added while looking around at the other officers who paid no mind to the conversation the two were having. Hank nodded, understanding Connors reluctance, not wanting Connors secrets about his private life to be compromised. 

 

Hank though for a while, trying to think about what he could do for his partner and his obviously less than ideal, eating habits. Also to think about was his smoking and drinking, but that could be dealt with at a later time. 

Hank stood from his chair and made his way to the break room, passing by Detective Reed's desk where he ignored a ball of paper being thrown his way, along with a shout of “Hey tinman!” Of course, it didn't bother him at all, he had more pressing matters to deal with. 

He entered the room and made his way to the fridge where the detectives all kept their lunches or snacks, and if they were lucky someone would have brought for everyone to enjoy. Lucky for Hank, someone had left ham and cheese finger sandwiches. He snatched up three for his partner and carried them back to the desks they shared. He stacked them neatly to the side of Connors L- shaped desk, out of his direct eyesight.

Hank then continued on working on the large stack of reports that Connor had been neglecting to file for months. About ten minutes after Hank had set out the sandwiches, he looked out of his peripheral vision and saw Connor turn around to grab a pen and then spot the snack. 

Connor looked up at Hank, who pretended not to notice the eyes burning into the side of his head. Hank expected Connor to huff and maybe throw the sandwiches at him. However, he was pleasantly surprised when Connor looked back down, took one of the sandwiches in his hand and began nibbling on it as he continued his paperwork. 

Hank smirked lightly to himself, happy to see Conner eating, even if it was just a slight amount. Throughout their shift, Connor had managed to eat all three of the sandwiches and complete a large amount of work during the remaining time of their shift. 

Finally, it was time for them to head home, well it was time for Connor to head home, Hank usually stayed at the old Cyberlife tower which had been converted into hundreds of small android apartments. Hank, however, had a different idea, “Hey Lieutenant, I have a proposition for you,” Connor hummed not paying full attention to what Hank was saying.

“I think I should move in with you”

Connor whipped his head around and stare wide-eyed at the other detective. Mouth opening and closing repeatedly in shock. “You want t-t-to move in w-with me?!” Connor shouted, shocked and not understanding why on earth Hank would want to move in with him. Connor began walking towards the door and out to the car, still shocked at what Hank had proposed. 

“It would be most beneficial to us both, in my humble opinion you are struggling to take care of yourself and I would like to do my best to keep you alive.” Connor groaned loudly, finally reaching his car and unlocking it before turning around to face Hank. “I don't need a babysitter, you asshole,” Connor grunted as he started to get in the car. 

“I'll also clean,” Hank smirked. Connor stopped his movements turning back to Hank, brows furrowed, “You'll clean?” He asked. Hank nodded. Connor started looking around, trying to find an answer to give him but finally sighed as he sat in the car. “Fuck it, get in” His faced creased with anger or annoyance, Hank couldn't be sure. Regardless, He made his way over to the passenger side of the old station wagon and got in. 

“Thank you, Lieutenant,”

“Shut up”


	2. Omelets

The drive back to Connors home was quiet, a silence that gave Hank the opportunity to let Cyberlife know that he would no longer need the small apartment they had given him. They allowed him a couple days to come to get the small number of possessions that he owned so they could allow other deviants to live there if they wish. 

Connor was silent throughout the ride as well, thinking about what he had gotten himself into. Where would Hank sleep, or go into rest-mode or whatever? Certainly not the second bedroom, that was out of the question. That had been his brother's room.

As Connor pulled into the driveway of his home, he quickly turned the car off and leaned against his seat. Hank waited until Connor got out of the car to open his own door and made his way o the house, a couple paces behind the disturbed lieutenant. When Connor opened the door, Hank felt the weight of the large St, Burnard that he knew Connor had. He pets Sumos head as the dog jumped over to Connor. Hank looked up and wasn't too surprised to see that the house was in quite a disarray. 

Bottles of various alcohol were strewn all over the floor along with many take out wrappers and some clothes also thrown around. “Sorry it’s messy like this,” Connor started and for the first time, Hank thought that Connor looked a bit shy. “As you can tell, I certainly don't do the cleaning by myself.” Hank nodded politely and walked around the messy living room to join Connor in the kitchen.

“If you don’t mind lieutenant, I would like to cook you dinner, before I start to clean up the house.” Connor rolled his eyes and walk towards his bedroom, shouting back at the detective in the kitchen. “I’m not hungry Hank! And stop calling me Lieutenant! Its weird, especially when we're in my own house, just call me Connor,” Shortly after, the sound of a door slamming close echoed throughout the house. 

Hank thought about his options. He could do what he knew was right, or listen to Connors demands like an obedient machine. This decision was an easy one. He opened the young man's fridge and was concerned to see that its contents were very limited. Inside the fridge, there were only two eggs, two slices of cheese and half an onion on the bottom shelf. 

Hank wondered why Connor didn't eat much but figured he would find out how to change Connors odd eating habits soon enough. However, in the meantime, Hank would try to get Connor to eat as much as he possibly could. 

Hank grabbed the two eggs, only one slice of cheese and the onion, an omelet would have to do for tonight until Hank could go get groceries. It took about ten minutes for Hank to perfect his omelet, hoping it would be to Connors's liking. While searching for a plate, Hank opened one of the upper cabinets he saw many bottles of alcohol, Hank identified twelve bottles of various alcohol, most of them being scotch and whiskey. 

Hank also notice that some bottles had been placed on the highest shelf, very far out of Connors reach, a sign that Connor was, or had at least tried to stop or slow his drinking. Hank was proud that Connor was trying to stop his addiction, but knew that he needed help, Alcohol addictions were hard to beat, and hardly ever beat alone.  
But now, Connor wasn't alone, he had Hank, and Hank was going to help him. He started by taking all the bottles on every shelf except the top one, he wanted to acknowledge Connors attempts to stop drinking. He put all the bottles along the counter and poured their contents into the sink, leaving the empty bottles back on the counter. He then located a plate, and put the omelet on and the plate and brought it over to the table along with a glass of water. 

Before going to get Connor, Hank went around the house and picked up al the empty liquor bottles and bringing them to the counter with the others. Once he had gotten all the one in the living room and kitchen, he counted forty-two bottles and shook his head, wondering how haunted the man truly was. 

Hank entered the garage and grabbed the blue recycling bin, he collected the empties in it and placed it back in its spot. He decides that Connors need to eat should be at the top of his priorities, he could clean while Connor ate. Slowly making his way down the hallway, he knocked on Connors bedroom door. “Connor? I made you an omelet, you have to come to eat it” 

When Hank didn't hear anything, he slowly opened the door and saw Connor laying the wrong way on the bed on his stomach, his head and legs laying off the sides of the bed. Hank noticed he was in a deep sleep and walked over to Connors' head, crouching down and placing a hand on the lieutenant's shoulder, giving him a light shake. “Connor wake up,” Hank shook him again and Connor groaned. 

“What is it Hank, I’m trying to sleep” Hank was surprised to get such a calm answer from the man,

“You need to eat Connor, from the behavior that I have witnessed, I believe you may be suffering from an eating disorder,” Connor gave him an offended look as he slowly and weakly got up to sat criss-cross on the bed. “I do not have an eating disorder, Hank, I’m not someone hundred-pound teenager who thinks he’s fat okay? I’m fine I don’t have an eating disorder.” Connor defended angrily. 

Hank stood from his place on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, turning to look at the disheveled man, “You don’t have to think you're fat to have an eating disorder Connor, I think your that for some reason you don’t physically feel hungry even though you are very malnutritioned and must be starving. I think you don’t feel the need to eat, so you often forget to do so. I’m not saying you are mentally disturbed Connor, there may just be a missed connection between your brain and your stomach,” 

Connor rolled his eyes and huffed, still annoyed that Hank was continuously accusing him of not eating but at the same time, relieved that Hank had an actual idea of what was going on and not misunderstanding him or the situation. Hank stood from the bed and motioned Connor to follow him to the kitchen. Connor grumbled under his breath and stood from the bed as well. 

Connor took his seat at the table, watching as Hank walked around the living room, picking up the garbage and the clothes laying around and putting them in the proper places. Connor kept his eyes on the android almost feeling bad that Hank had to clean up after him. His brother was always the one to keep the apartment clean, it was never something that bothered Connor he could handle a mess.

His twin, Nines, was about ten minutes younger than Connor but he never acted like it. Nines was always the stronger one, he had much more muscle than Connor and always took on a more protective attitude when it came to his twin. Nines always kept Connor safe, especially from their parents when they were younger. Connor had never felt so close to someone in his entire life, he loved Nines with all of his heart, but Nines was gone now. 

“Connor? Are you okay?” Connor gasped, having completely forgotten that hank was here or that there was an omelet right under his nose that he was supposed to be eating. He felt water on his face and noticed he had let a tear fall down his face. His hand snapped to his face to quickly wipe it away, how embarrassing. 

“I'm fine, Hank” Connor took the fork and began to eat the eggs, keeping his eyes down trying not to let Hank see his face. Hank could tell that Connor was facing some emotional turmoil and he wanted to help. “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you Connor?” hank took a seat in the chair beside him when Connor shook his head, “I don’t want to talk Hank, please just don't bring it up,”

Hank nodded politely, letting Connor keep his privacy. He stood from the chair and made his way toward the hallway, “I'm going to clean your room and then go get some groceries okay?” Connor just waved him off, eating another piece of the omelet. 

Hank entered Connors room and took in as much information as he could. Unlike the rest of the house, Connors room had many photographs lining the walls and on the bedside table. Hank look at the pictures on the wall and saw it was Connor standing beside someone who looked shockingly similar to him, his twin, Hank guessed.

Richard Henry Anderson  
Deceased 

Hank realized that all of the pictures in the room was Connor and his twin. Hank realized that the passing of his twin must be part of the massive emotional struggles he is going through. Hank was saddened that Connor had experienced such a loss that had ruined him. Hank was determined to help Connor overcome his issues and hopefully, Connor could be happy again. 

Hank cleaned the room and opened the window to ventilate the room, he brought out ten more empty bottles of alcohol. He straightened out some of the pictures on the wall which were only off center by a couple millimeters, almost invisible to the naked eye. Hank also noticed that the picture frames were all in good condition, dusted and the glass covering the picture was smudge free. 

It was apparent that Connor took really good care of the pictures and their frames, unlike everything else in the house. Hank left the room and continued towards the kitchen where Connor had eaten half of the omelet and was now just staring down at the plate. 

“Connor would you like me to clean the secon-” 

‘NO! DO NOT GO IN THAT ROOM!!” 

Hank was shocked at the look on Connor's face, he would expect Conner to be angry, but the look on his face was just pure panic. Hanks brows furrowed at Connors odd behavior and stepped forward and crouched down in front of the human and put his hand on his shoulder “Its okay Connor, I won’t go in there, won’t even open the door”

It took a couple seconds, but Connor slowly nodded and Hank could see tears gathering in his eyes. Connor turned his face back to the plate and shook Hanks hand off his shoulder. Hank stood again and looked at the half-eaten food and Connors reluctance to eat it. “You've only eaten half of your omelet Connor,”

Connor shrugged half-heartedly, “My stomach hurts,” Hank nodded understanding Connors discomfort, “That is common of your condition, going so long without eating and then starting to eat again can cause complications. It’s important to not overeat, your body is not prepared to digest much, that could be life-threatening. I promise not to feed you to the point of making you sick but you do need to eat, I’m going to try to find out what exactly is the cause of your disorder and see what we can do about it.”

Connor slowly put more of the eggs and muttered under his breath, “Thanks Hank,” Hank walk towards the front door, slipping his shoes on, “It’s my pleasure Connor, I'm going to head to the store and pick up some things to fill your empty fridge,” Hank opened the door and was halfway out when Connor spoke up, “Wait!” 

Hank turned around and saw Connor throwing something it him, he caught it with precise precision, car keys. “Take the car, it'll be faster and more comfortable than a small cab.” Hank smile gratefully and stepped outside, “Thank you, Connor,” he closed the door softly and walked down the steps towards the car. 

He started the vehicle and headed towards the store, where he collected all the necessary ingredients to make healthy and filling meals for his partner. Thankfully, Hank loved to cook and he would make sure Connor ate properly. Before heading home, Hank decided to make one more stop, one he wouldn't tell Connor about. 

Hank arrived at the doctor's office and walked into the lobby heading to the receptionist. The blond-haired android smiled sweetly at him, “Hello RK800, what could I do for you on this fine day?” Hank noticed that she was am ST400 model, designed for desk work, it seemed she had decided to stay with her job after the revolution instead of going to find a new one.  
“Hello, I was hoping I could meet with Connor Anderson’s doctor, just briefly, shouldn't take more than five minutes.” The receptionist smiled sweetly before typing at her terminal briefly, “Dr. Warren is in between patients at the moment, he should be able to speak with you, only for ten minutes or so though.” 

“That would be perfect, thank you,” The receptionist nodded gesturing to the door to her right, “He should be in the second door to the left.” 

“Thank you, Miss” 

Hank exited the lobby and made his way to the room he was directed. He looked into the room and saw the doctor leaning over some paperwork and used one knuckle to knock on the ajar door. The doctor rose his head and adjusted his glasses while looking at Hank, “Hello there sir, how can I help you?” The doctor rose out of his chair and rose his hand to shake Hanks already outstretched one. 

“Hello Dr.Warren, My name is Hank and I have recently been partnered with one of your patients, Connor Anderson. As you probably know, he is very stubborn and doesn't take good care of himself, so I was hoping you could give me some insight to Connors health issues so I could hopefully take care of him if need be. I know you're not supposed to do so but I hope you understand my concern.” The doctor looked at him for a moment, thinking about his request before sighing and sinking back into his chair and starting up his computer, 

“I understand what you're talking about Hank, I only ever see Connor if he ends up in the hospital and never comes to any follow-up appointments I set up, he is very neglectful of his health. Besides his obvious issues with smoking and drinking, I have never had him come in at a normal weight, as far as I know from his last appointment he is fifty pounds underweight. He has some other conditions you should know about, sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea to be more precise. Basically, while he is sleeping his throat muscles relax and his airways close, making him unable to breathe. His brain rouses him from his sleep briefly to allow him to breathe again, but it is so brief that he doesn't remember it. The only reason we know about is from his stays at the hospital. It could potentially be very serious but he refuses to talk to me about treatment. He also has had multiple tonic-clonic-seizures which I am thinking is epilepsy, which is an extreme condition, as far as I know, they have never lasted more than four minutes, he is only ever taken to the hospital when he has them at work so I do not know many he has had, because if he has them at home he won't seek treatment. He doesn't come to any appointments so I have been unable to properly diagnose him. This could potentially be fatal Hank”

The doctor shook his head and looks away from his screen and over to Hank. Hank was shocked, he knew Connor had problems but he didn't think it was this bad. “That's a lot of issues I had not been aware of,”

“Connor is heading very fast down a path of destruction, and I don’t think he is going to make it much longer if this continues. In my opinion, Connor also has developed many mental disorders since the loss of his brother. However, I'm not comfortable discussing them with you because that is not my area of expertise. He needs help Hank, if you think you can do something for them I suggest you work fast.”

The doctor stood and grabbed the android's arm, looking into his eyes very seriously. “I usually don't give away patient information Hank, but I am positive Connor is going to die if someone does not help him, I can't do anything for him if he's not willing to help himself. He needs a friend or someone who he cares about to talk some sense into him.”

Hank was still surprised at the dire situation Connor had to deal with, it was so much more than he thought it would be. “I will do my absolute best to help him, doctor, I’ll make sure he gets better, I’m sure of it.” The doctor nodded and grabbed a piece of paper, writing something down. After he was finished he ripped the paper off of his little book and handed it over to Hank.

“I know you're going to remember this but I still want you to have a note of it. So you should try to find a way to monitor Connors breathing a night, if he stops breathing for more than one minute that means he could be getting into danger, the pauses in breathing last anywhere from ten seconds to several minutes, however after a minute other problems could develop. I’m sure you can find out how to take care of his during a seizure, but just make sure his head is not smashing on the floor, keep his head to the side so if he vomits he doesn't choke. If it lasts for than five minutes, you have to call 911 because at that point he could be permanently brain damaged. Try your best to find sighs that happen before his seizures start, hopefully, then you can tell when they are coming so you can get him somewhere safe so he doesn't fall or gets injured or anything like that. Being able to notice early signs in very important.”

Hank nodded making sure to store all of the information in his mind, trying to think of a solution to the problems that are now arising. He nodded politely to the man, an emotion similar to fear creeping in on him. The doctor turned off his terminal and walked with Hank to the door. “I really hope you can help him, Hank, I don't think he has much time left. Now I have another patient coming in, call me if you need anything,”

Hank gave the man a smile and tipped his head to him, “Thank you doctor” He turned and made his way out of the building, passing by the nice receptionist and gave her a slight nod. When he got to the car he started wondering what he was going to do about Connors health. He turned the car on and started to drive back to the house, wanting to bring this up with Connor but not knowing how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo I added some conditions for Connor to show how he really wasn't taking care of himself and how much he actually does need someone. Tell me if you like it!!! Send me some ideas for what you want to happen throughout the story, comment and tell me what you think, hope this one was long enough!! Have a good day!!!


	3. Rough Morning

Hank arrived back at the house and managed to carry in all the groceries on one trip. He pushed the door open and walked into the kitchen where Connor was trying to reach the whiskey on the top shelf. “Hank, why would you pour all my alcohol out? I'm out of smokes and I really need to relax!” he shouted. Connor was on his tiptoes trying to reach the top shelf where Hank had left his alcohol. It was only then that Hank noticed the immense height difference between the two

“Connor, you should really consider cutting back on the alcohol” The Lieutenant groaned, frustrated that he was unable to relax. Hank walked over to Connor and slowly pushed him away from the cabinet, closing it shortly after. “What the fuck Hank? You are living in my house, you can’t tell me what to do!” Connor was shouting at Hanks smirking face, angered that the android was able to relax when he could not. Hank places a hand on Connors' shoulder to try to calm him. “I’m not trying to control you, Connor, I just think you should try to replace your unhealthy habits with ones that don’t shorten your lifespan.”

Connor brought his hands to his face, over his eyes and let out a muffled groan of frustration as he turned away from Hank and placed his head against the fridge, trying to cool down. “So what do you expect me to do Hank? Just sit around and just wait until I don’t feel like shit? Fuck Hank just give me a drink,” 

Hank put his hands on Connors' shoulders and easily led him over to the couch where he pushed Connor to sit down. “Connor I’m going to try to help you relax, I have discovered that massages are quite relaxing for humans,” Connor scoffed from his place on the couch. “You’re going to massage me? I don’t think so you plastic asshole” 

“Please Connor, I wish for you to stop your drinking and smoking because it could kill you. So if you need a different way to relax I would love to supply that for you.” Hank set his hands on Connors' shoulders not moving them, just sitting them there. Hank groaned and leaned his head back, “This is ridiculous Hank, but if you really think it could help me relax, they go ahead, I'm willing to try anything at this point” Connor sighed. 

Hank smirked once again, knowing he had won this little battle. Hank got to work, moving his hands just slightly, digging his fingers into Connors shoulder blades, trying to lessen the stress that Conor had been carrying around with him for years. “Just relax Lieutenant, I know it might be weird but I promise you'll feel more relaxed than you ever have been after a cigarette.” Connor just hums to indicate that he had heard the android.

After a couple minutes, Connor was feeling much more relaxed, he closed his eyes as he let Hanks hands work on his shoulders and try to relieve tension. Connor closed his eyes as he started to feel the relaxation that Hank had promised. He let an embarrassing sigh pass his lips, tensing up when he realized that Hank must have heard it. 

Thankfully, Hank didn't mention the noise he made so Connor slowly began to relax once again. He soon let his head lean back against the couch and almost felt the need to sleep. “Well, you weren't shitting me, Hank, I do actually feel very relaxed right about now,” Hank chuckled above him, “Massages are quite beneficial, people have been saying that it can help lower blood pressure as well as stress. They also have many other benefits if you'd like to hear them.” He offered. 

“No thanks Hank, I'm going to head to bed now, feel as if I could fall asleep right here.”

“Or course Lieutenant,”

Hank removed his hands from Connors' shoulders as the man made his way his bedroom, stumbling slightly from fatigue. “Goodnight Hank,” He called from the bedroom as he closed the door. Hank laied back on the couch prepared to enter rest mode, “Goodnight Connor.”  
Hank thought about what he was going to do about Connors sleep apnea, he hoped Connor would be okay for tonight until Hank found a way to monitor him. With that thought in his mind, he entered rest mode. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 

Hanks internal alarm had him set to wake up at exactly seven o'clock the next morning. When he got up, he wondered into the kitchen, opening the backdoor to allow the giant dog, who was still quite wary of him, outside to relieve himself. He opened the fridge and got out the yogurt, fruit, and granola. He started making a fruit parfait for Connors breakfast, a much healthier alternative to the usual meal he would consume, which was nothing. 

After assembling the simple meal and filling Sumos food and water bowls, it was seven-ten, time to wake Connor. Hank slowly made his way down the hallway, knocking softly when he got to his partner's door. “Connor, you have to wake up so you can get ready for work,” When he didn’t receive an answer, he knocked again. “Your shift starts at eight, Lieutenant. Being late is unprofessional.”

Without a sound coming out of the room, Hank slowly opened the door and peered inside. He saw a shirtless Connor, sleeping on top of the covers, hair a mess of curls and his face, the kindest Hank had ever seen it. With Connor in this position, Hank could clearly see his chest. All of his ribs were showing and his stomach was quite sunken in. 

Hank was saddened but determined to get Connor back to a healthy weight. He knew Connor didn’t do it on purpose, he just never felt hungry, Hank would be there to remind him from now on, hopefully, this would cease to be a problem. 

“Connor,” Hank said, trying to slightly raise Connor from his sleep Connor groaned and rolled over, trying to get away from Hank. The android shook Connors shoulder roughly, finally rousing him from his sleep. “Hannnnnnk, go away im trying to sleep,” Connor swatted at his hand trying to roll farther away. 

“I’m afraid I can’t do that Lieutenant, you have to go to work,” Connor groaned again, quickly sitting up and swing his legs over the side of the bed. Hank stepped back, making his way to the door. He looked back briefly and saw that when Connor stood, his sweat pants were falling down his hips, despite them already being small. Hank shook his head and left the room, venturing back into the kitchen where he added two pieces of toast with butter to Connors breakfast. 

Hank sat on the chair beside where Connors meal was set up. He cybernetically contacted the precinct to find out if there was any case they were supposed to work on when they got there. Finding nothing, Hank just figured they would be doing paperwork again. Crime had been slow since the revolution, many people were still not in the city since the evacuation. 

Connor made his way into the kitchen, now fully dressed but hair yet to be styled. He took a seat beside Hank who handed him the spoon for his Parfait and began to eat in silence. Hank didn't want to, but he ha to bring it up. “So Connor, I went to go visit your doctor,”

Connors' head whipped over to Hank immediately, full anger covered his face. “You what?” Connor spat. “Im worried about your health Connor, I wanted to know your history so I coul-” The human stood up so fast that his chair clattered to the floor, he backed away from the table, his whole body shaking in anger. “That doesn't give you any fucking permission to go to my fucking doctor and have him tell you about my problems, Hank!” Hank was surprised at how fast Connor got angry, almost like a switch had been flipped. 

Hank stood from the table, trying to calm Connor. He reached his arm out but still kept his distance. “I know you're upset Connor but I had to know if there were things I had to watch out for”

“You didn't even ask me first! If you're so concerned about me, maybe you should ask!”

“Would you have told me?”

“We'll never know now! Because you decided to go right to my fucking doctor, that's fucking bullshit, Hank!”

“I wanted to know if there was anything that I needed to be aware of, and it's a good thing I did. Things like sleep apnea and chronic seizures are things I have to know about, Connor.”

“I don't fucking have any of that shit Hank. Warren is just over exaggerating! I’m fi-” Connors face had gone red from screaming, but suddenly, he had stopped. His back straightened, he was no longer looking at Hank, but rather, past him into the wall of the kitchen. Hank noticed the odd change in behavior, he stepped closer to Connor and kept his arm outstretched, “Connor? Are you okay Connor?” He was worried Connor may be in the verge of some kind of breakdown and didn’t want to frighten him and make it worse 

Connor didn't respond, didn't move. 

Hank took another step forward, not close enough to stress him out, but close enough that his outstretched hand was about a foot away from the smaller man's chest. Connors arms and hands began to twitch just ever so slightly, Hank realized what was going on a little too late. “Shit, Connor!” before Hank could reach him, Connor fell to the floor, his whole body trembling. Hank was able to catch his head in his hands,saving him from possible head trauma and holding it still as the rest of his body shook.

Hank held Connors head to the side as his body went from trembling to intense thrashing. His arms and legs smashing down on the floor and his back arched every second. Hank started a timer, ready to alert a hospital if this episode surpassed five minutes 

0:15

Connor was still seizing and Hank was horrified, He had never seen the man in such a vulnerable position looking so small and so scared. Connors whole body continued to shake, Hank kept his head turned to the side, trying to keep his airways clear. Hank willed this nightmare to end, seeing Connor like that ripped his artificial heart straight out of his chest cavity. Connor didn't deserve these things to happen to him.

0:45

Connor continued to shake and Hank brough his up sightly onto his lap, to try to open up his airways just a bit more. He ran his fingers through Connors hair lightly, beginning to tear up. \hank had never felt an emotion this strong since his deviation. Not happiness when the revolution was deemed successful, not confusion during anyone his cases, not even worry when Dr. Warren was telling him about Connors ailments. 

But now, now Hank was absolutely terrified, seeing Connor hurting so much and shaking so intensely. 

1:30

“I'm so sorry Connor, you must be so scared, it must be terrifying to not be in control of your own body. I wish I could stop this from happening to you, it must hurt, I wish I could stop your pain. I would take it away if I could.” Hank finally let the tears fall, he realized then that he probably felt more towards Connor than he should, a feeling he couldn't describe. He shook his head at the thought, this was not the time to think about how he felt.  
1:45

Connors body was finally beginning to slow, the shaking turning into trembling and then, nothing. He stopped moving. Hank could see his chest rising and falling quickly, he almost looked like he was asleep. Hank slowly moved him to his side and put him into the recovery position. He cybernetically messaged Dr.Warren, alerting him to Connors episode. 

Hank left Connor in recovery position for five minutes waiting for either a reply from the doctor or for Connor to wake up. He continued to run his hand through Connors' hair, trying to comfort his friend.

Suddenly, an answer from the doctor came through.

~~Thank you for alerting me Hank, I'm going to be putting that into his file. The good thing is that it lasted under two minutes, make sure you keep him in recovery position in case he needs to vomit. When he begins to wake up, make sure you take him to bed he is going to need a lot of rest. Make sure he drinks lots of fluids throughout the day, also I suggest you give him something to eat because surely does need it. Also, watch him very closely for his sleep apnea tonight however you can, the stress from today could worsen it. Take care of him, Hank.~~ 

Hank replied with a then you and sent Fowler a message about Connors condition, letting him know that they would not be at work today, as he continued his wait for Connor to wake up. About ten minutes later, Connor let out a little whimper. Hank looked down to his face and saw him trying to open his eyes and move around, “Don't move Connor, just relax. You had a seizure, I'll take care of you.”

Hank took Connors head off his lap and gently brought it to the floor. He went over to the sink and grabbed a glass, filling it with water from the tap. On his way back he grabbed a straw that was laying around from one of Connors fast food runs. When he looked down at Connor, he saw his eyes open and staring at them with brows furrowed. 

Hank sat back down at Connors head, slipping the straw between the man's lips, when Connor didn't drink, just kept his half-lidded eyes on Hanks face, Hank let out a soft sigh. “Connor please drink, you have to get some fluids in you, you need it.” Connors brows furrowed further and then he tightened his lips around the straw, his eyes widened just slightly, almost as if he hadn't realised the straw was there. 

Hank chuckled to himself at the man's actions. Connors' eyes slipped closed as he drank about half of the amount of water. Once he stopped, Hank took the cup away and placed it back on the table. “I'm going to pick you up, okay?” Hank didn't wait for Connors approval before he slipped his arm around Connors back and the other one under his legs. When he lifted Conner he realised that he only weighed about one hundred pounds. 

Hank carried him down the hall and placed him on the bed where the covers were pulled back. He covered him back up and put his hand back in his hair. “Stay awake for a minute okay? I'll be right back” Hank rushed out of the room and returned two minutes later with the half-ate parfet, “You need to eat just a bit okay? Get your strength up a tad,” He stook a seat on the side of the bed, right in front of Connor. The man just nodded, not ready to use his voice yet. 

Hank took a spoon full and fraught it to Connors' mouth. He opened his mouth and slowly ate the offered snack. He finished the parfait and Hank placed the cup on the bedside table, not blocking the picture that already sat there. Hank placed his hand on Connors arm and used his thumb to rub comforting circles onto the skin. “I know you're very tired, but I'm going to stay in here too, to watch your breathing. Doc said that your sleep apnea may be worse tonight from the stress.” Connor nodded, too weak to fight with Hank on the subject. 

The android tucked him in and noticed Connor was already asleep under the covers. He walked to the other side of the bed, laying down on top of the covers, as to not make Connor uncomfterble. The android paced his hand lightly on top of Connors' chest so that he could directly feel Connor breathing. Hank decided to enter a light rest mode, enough so he could rest, but light enough that if Connors breathing were to falter even slightly, he would wake up and be able to administer anything he needed. 

Hank felt guilt creeping in, what if telling Connor about the doctors visit, stressed him out to the point where he had a seizure? Could stress cause a seizure? Or were they just completely random? Hank let out a breath, cooling his ventilation units, it wasn't about what caused the episode, just that Connor walked away from it unharmed. 

Hank would always make sure Connor remained unharmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much research!! Hope you liked it!! Give me some ideas of what you want to see in this story, I'm curious to know where your minds are heading with this creation!! Tell me what you think!!!


	4. Understanding

Hank awoke to a movement underneath his palm, Connor had rolled over onto his side from his back, groaning quietly. He sat up slowly, bringing his hand to his head. Hank rolled over so he could face Connors figure in the dim light of the room. “Connor? Are you okay?”

Connor brought his arms to rest on the bed on either side of his body to help keep him sitting upright, he brought his feet to the floor and kept his head down “Yeah...just a little tired.” Connors' voice was barely above a whisper, and Hank was worried that the man may be pushing himself too hard. Hank got on his knees and crawled across the bed to be right behind Connor just in case he was needed. 

Connor brought one arm to the side table and sued it for support as he began to stand up. “Do you need any help?” Hank asked, placing a firm hand on Connors back, aiding him in standing up. “I'll let you know in a minute,” He chuckled. 

It took a few moments, but Connor was able to stand and stay standing without trouble. He shook his head slightly, “I'm alright Hank, I’m going to have a shower though, I feel gross,” Hank nodded as he watched the man make his way out of the room and across the hall to the small bathroom. Hank rose out of bed and made his way to the kitchen where he pulled out the ingredients to make Connor a healthy lunch.

He ended up deciding to make Connor a light sandwich that consisted of ham cheese mustard and lettuce. He set it on the table, along with a glass of milk and a cut up apple. He sat down in the chair to the side of Connors and waited for him to get out of the shower. 

Suddenly Hank heard a noise as if something had been knocked down to the floor, a lot of somethings. Hank rushed from his place in the kitchen and to the bathroom door, knocking politely, worry eating away at him. “Connor? You alright? I heard something fall”

“Yeah, I’m okay! I just...um..Can you help me? I’m just really tired” Connor sounded normal for the most part, a bit shaky, but okay nonetheless. Hank slowly opened the door, looking around the room for the other man. He spotted him on the floor, on his back, hands on his chest. Thankfully, he still had his boxers on. His knees were pointed in the air, supported by his feet. When he saw Hank, he let his feel slide farther away from his body until they were flat on the ground. 

Hank noticed the shower was running and everything that was once the sink was now on the floor. Before helping Connor up, he went over to the tub and turned the water off the shower head and onto the main water spout, filling the bathtub in which he then plugged. As the tub slowly began to fill with water he turned to Connor, who held his hand up for Hank to grab. “So what happened?” Hank brought him into a sitting position as Connor let out a weak sigh. 

“I was just standing there, and then I felt really heavy, I tried to grab onto the sink but I slipped and then I was on the floor. I’m okay though I promise, I always feel a bit weird after, but it goes away after a while, you really don't have to worry.” Hank shook his head, knowing he was going to worry anyway, that seemed to be his default emotion when it came to Connor. 

Hank brought Connors arms around his neck and wrapped his own arms around the humans back. He lifted him just enough that he could sit on the edge of the tub. 

“I should have been paying closer attention to your condition, I'm sorry” 

“No no, I'm perfectly fine Hank, I'm okay. Don't worry about it”

Hank let out a sigh and let go of Connors body backing away a step and scanning Connors vital signs, all were normal. “Do you need help with those?” Hank nodded to Connors boxers. Connor chuckled and waved him off, “No I got this, I'll take them off when I get in the tub,” Hank nodded and stood by in case Connor needed help getting in the tub. Connor swings his body around so that his feet were in the still rising water. He slid his body off the edge and sunk down into the warm water. 

A content sigh passed his lips as he leaned back and began to relax in the warm water, Hank watched Connors body let go of all the tension he had been harboring in him for who knows how long. “Feels nice,” Connor commented without opening his eyes. “Taking a bath is said to be a very good form of relaxation,” Connor hummed in acknowledgment. “I’d have to agree with whoever said that”

Hank watched the water rise and turned it off once it reached the top of Connors' chest. He ran his hand through Connors' hair just lightly before heading towards the door, “I'll be in the kitchen okay? I made you a sandwich with an apple for lunch.” Hank had barely placed his hand on the doorknob when he heard a protest from behind him. 

“Wait! Hank, can we like….talk about something?” 

Hank game the man a small smile, heading back towards Connor. He sat on the floor with his back to the tub, his legs straight out and hands in his lap, facing away from Connors mostly naked body. “I won't look, so you can get comfortable,” Hank turned his head slightly to nod to the boxers Connor still had on. The man gave him a nod as Hank turned his head away again.

The android waited a moment until he saw a blur of black fabric fly past him and land in the sink. He let out a soft chuckle and looked away from the sink and to the wall in front of him “So what did you want to talk about?” Hank could hear the human shift slightly in the water, trying to get more comfortable.

“So what did you want to talk about? I’m all ears, you know with some bio-components and stuff here and there as well,” Connor laughed lightly at Hanks poorly made joke, shoving his shoulder slightly from behind him. “ That was a good one,”

“Thank you”

“So, I know I've really been an asshole since we met, but I really appreciate you being here and taking care of me. I know you are doing your best to help me with anything and everything. I understand why you went to go see Warren and you were right, I probably wouldn't have told you. My seizures are always really scary, very humbling to be honest, and I'm just happy I wasn't alone this time. I guess I just really wanted to say thank you, for being there and taking care of me afterward. So, um yeah….Thank you” 

Hank was smiling to himself, listening to Connor pour his heart out. “You're welcome Connor, I understand why you were upset about the doctor visit. It was a very invasive thing for me to do, but I want you to understand. I wanted to be prepared for whatever things that could be ailing you. I needed time to make sure that I knew everything there was to know about whatever conditions you have.”

Connor was nodding from behind him, leaning his head back against the side of the tub as Hank continued. “If you were to have that seizure and I didn't know about them, I would have had no idea what to do. I'm not a medical android so I have very limited information n things like that, I was able to download everything I needed to know right into my memory banks soI always know what to do, I just want to make sure I know how to take care of you, Connor.”

Connor smiled, taking in the thought that someone actually wanted to take care of him, not that he would ever say it, but it made him feel loved, something he hadn't felt since his brother had died. 

Wanting to move away from that thought quickly, before any awful thoughts spun from it, he patted Hanks' shoulder. “I really appreciate it, Hank, thank you for taking care of me.” Hank nodded silently, posture straight as ever. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, until Hank stood, making his way over to the sink to grab Connors soaked boxers and the other clothes from the floor making sure not to look at Connor to make him uncomfortable. 

“Do you need anything Connor?” Hank asked with his hand on the door. “Can you please buy me some more smokes? Please Hank,” Hanks smile fell off his face, not that Connor could see. “I really think we should try some other relaxation methods before you get some more cigarettes, I'm sure we will find something that could be just as relieving.” 

Connor let out a small sigh and Hank waited for him to talk, “Okay Hank, I trust you” 

Hank felt his chest swell, he didn't know what exact emotion he was feeling but he liked feeling it, the older looking man felt warm thinking about what Connor said. He felt a need to give the man a hug but knew that just weren't at that point of the relationship, also Connor was currently naked behind him and thus in no position for a hug. Hank nodded in response to Connors statement, opening the door with the clothes still in his arms. 

He closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a small sign in the now much cooler air. 

Hank did a quick search on the internet for ways to help a person relax and found green tea to be very beneficial. He started the kettle and got out a tea bag from the assortment that he had bought the night before. The android squeezed a small amount of honey into the mug as well. When the water had boiled, he filled up the mug and stirred the honey in well. 

 

It was about twenty minutes later when Connor walked into the kitchen in sweats and no shirt with his hair still damp. He took a seat and began eating the sandwich that had been set out for him. “How was your bath? Feel more relaxed?” Hank asked pushing the mug closer to Connors' hand. He gets the hint and grabs the mug, slowly bringing it to his lips and taking a sip. 

“Yeah it was really relaxing, I still want a smoke though,” He said honestly, having an apple slice. Hank gave him a pointed glace, he understood Connors addiction, cigarettes are extremely addictive to humans, but he needed Connor to work with him. 

“I figured you would still be wanting one but I want to try a few things first before we go to that, is that okay?” Connor nodded in response and finished the last of his milk and sandwich. “Yeah I get it, smoking is gross anyway, it’d be nice to not have to rely on it, what's first on your list of remedies doctor Hank,” Connor joked finishing the last piece of apple. 

“I think a walk to the dog park will be good for you AND Sumo” As soon as Hank said the words, the dog was bouncing from his place in the living room to the back door, leach already in his mouth. He was barking lightly, tail wiping everything in the vicinity. Connor looked over to the dog and chuckled softly standing from his chair. 

“I'll go get dressed”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this one is a bit shorter! I really wanted to get it out for you guys! I hope you like it! Send me ideas for what you want to happen in the story, I want to combine our minds to make this the best it can be!! I finally applied to college shockingly enough so it should free up a bit of time for me. Hope you all have or are having a good day !! Thanks for reading!


	5. Scared

The walk to the park had proved to be quite relaxing to Connor and equally as exhausting for Sumo. The trio filed in through the back door, Hank closing the door behind him while Connor took the leash off of Sumo. The large dog walked slowly to his bed located in the living room, laying down the second his whole body was on it. 

“I think Sumo enjoyed being at the park, did you enjoy it as well?” Hank asked while hanging up his gray suit jacket on a hood by the door. Connor nodded slowly, trying to brush off the question, but Hank could tell the human was still rather anxious. His hand was shaking slightly and he had dark bags under his eyes.

Hank let out a small sigh, upset that his methods weren't working. “Well try a couple more things, and if they don't work I will get you only one pack of cigarettes” Connor nodded appreciatively, giving Hank his full attention. 

The android walked over to Connor guiding him to sit at the table. “I noticed a guitar in your room in the corner, I have heard that playing an instrument is a good form of stress relief for many people and I would like you to try it, singing also helps,” Connor laughed lightly, turning his head away from the Android and to the large dog in the living room. 

“I don't sing Hank,” He concluded. Hank stood from the table and made his way over to the fridge as if he was looking for something. “I need to go to the store to get something for dinner tonight, you can play and sing while I'm gone, so you don't have to feel nervous or uncomfortable. You can do it in privet,” 

Connor was lightly nodding his head at the table, thinking seriously about what Hank had said, it wouldn't hurt to try. Hank was trying so hard to get him off of his addictions, he had to at least attempt. “I guess it wouldn't hurt to try, only when you're not here though, I don't want to sing in front of you,” Hank walked away from the fridge and to the back door, grabbing his jacket and slipping it over his arms. 

“I understand Connor, don't worry about it, you can have all the privacy you want, I'll be about an hour, please try to play and sing, we need to know what helps you relax so we can kick all your nasty habits,” He explained as he opened the door to exit the house. 

“I'll try Hank, knock when you come home please,” Hank nodded in response and saw as Connor made his way down the hall towards his room, “Take the car!” He called, Hank nodded and stepped back in to grab the keys from the bowl by the door. Hank exited the house and made his way over to the old vehicle. 

Once he reached the store, he wondered about getting the ingredients to make a divine homemade pizza, one of Connors favorite foods if the previous mess around his house was anything to go by. He also decided to pick up a lavender scented candle. Lavender was proven to be good for relaxation and stress relief. 

On his way to the cashier, he bumped into a familiar face, “Dr. Warren, it's good to see you,” The doctor looked away from the canned soups and over to Hank, pushing his glasses back up on his face. “Hank, it's a pleasure to see you as well, how is our little patient after his seizure earlier today?” 

Hank grimaced slightly, remembering the traumatic episode that had unfolded early this morning, “He's better, I took him to bed shortly after and he slept for a couple hours, no issues from his sleep apnea. Since he woke up, we have been exploring more efficient ways for him to relax and rid himself of everyday stresses. I am hoping he will be able to kick both his drinking and smoking habits.”

The doctor looked pleasantly surprised, his arms crossed slightly resting on the cart in front of him. “That's amazing Hank! How's it going? Is he doing well?” He asked quickly

“Very well actually, he hasn't had a drink in two days as far as I'm aware and he hasn't smoked since last night after work yesterday, he is currently out of cigarettes and we are planning on not buying any unless we are unable to find an effective method of relaxation for him. Currently, he is at home playing the guitar, I had suggested it when I found that it was a common way humans relieve stress.”

“That's perfect Hank, the less he smokes and drinks, the better his health will be.” Hank nodded, extending his hand to the doctor who took it in a matter of seconds, giving it a firm shake. “Thank you for sharing his information with me Doctor, I know you could have gotten in trouble, but I was very thankful to know what to do when Connor started seizing.” The android drew his hand away picking up the basket of products that he had left o the floor. 

“It's no problem at all Hank, Connor is a special case in my opinion because of how stubborn he is to accept help and how his conditions were surely enough to kill him at any point. I'm hopeful that you be able to assist him with all he needs,”

Hank nodded agreeing that Connor was in dire need of a reason to at least attempt survival. “I promise to do all I can doctor,” The men both nodded to each other, before heading out of the aisle and on to different parts of the store. 

After heading out of the store, Hank decided to pick up a few other things before heading back to the house, giving the human more than enough time to work with his guitar and hopefully start to relax. 

Hank went to get Sumo more dog food and a new brush for his fur. He then went to the precinct to let Fowler know that he believed it a good idea to allow Connor the next day off and that they would return the day after. Fowler agreed and asked Hank to make sure Connor had a new attitude when he came back, Hank made no promises but let his superior know that he would try. 

“He really is a good man Hank,” Fowler had said, “He's just had more struggle in his twenty-eight years of life than anyone should have to go through in a lifetime,” Hank assured him that he was on the right track and that they would soon have what Fowler called ‘The Old Connor’ back. 

When he got back in the car, he realized that he had been gone for three hours, more than enough time for Connor to relax. When the android pulled in the driveway, everything seemed to be as he had left it. However, when he got close to the back door, it was alarmingly quiet in the house, Hank thought he would have been able to hear the guitar from all the way outside, but he couldn't hear anything. 

A quick scan of the house placed Connor in the living room, moving quickly back and forth, Hank could tell that his heart was pounding much faster than it should be and he was sweating immensely. 

Hank knocked on the door as he was asked, but didn't wait for a response, just opened the door shortly after. As soon as the door was opened all the way, he was faced with an angry looking Connor. “Where the fuck have you been?!” The human yelled, one hand on his hip and the other running through his dark hair. Hank was shocked at the man's outburst and had no idea what to say. 

“You said you would be gone for one fucking hour! One fucking hour Hank! It's been three!” Hank could see tears welling in the man's eyes but knew that Connor was too stubborn to let them fall. Being new to human emotions, Hank had no idea why Connor was acting so erratically and thus had no idea how to calm him. 

“Connor, I'm sorry I was gone for so long, I bumped into the doctor at the store and then I went to get somethings for Sumo and then the precinct where I talked to Fowler and some other detectives. I got sidetracked along the way.” Hank reached an arm out and placed it against Connors' arm only to have shrugged off forcibly. 

“Something could have happened to you! And I would have never known! /you could have gotten hurt and then never come back!” Hank was shocked by what he had said. All of this, the yelling and the almost tears, we're all because he was worried about Hanks well-being. He was afraid. Afraid Hank had gotten hurt or something similar, he was shocked that Connor showed actual concern for him.

Hank reached out and grabbed Connors arm softly and, fighting against some resistance, brought Connors hand to rest on the center of his chest, right over his thirium pump. “I'm okay Connor, nothing happened, I'm fine. I was just talking to our friends and co-workers, you're okay, I'm okay. There's nothing to be afraid of. Everything is okay.” Hank spoke really slow, letting Connor take everything in at his own pace, hoping his voice was enough to calm Connors raging anxiety. 

Hank wanted to bring Connor into his arms to comfort the man further but resisted the urge as to not make him uncomfortable. It took a couple of seconds, but eventually, Connors rugged posture softened, the tears in his eyes slowly disappeared and his feature softened. He pulled his hand away from Hank and turned his body away from Hank in shame. “No Hank, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten angry at you like that, you have a right to do whatever you want, I shouldn't act as I control you,”

The man slowly took a seat at the table and Hank joined him after setting the bags on the counter, 

“It's just when I saw how late it was getting, I just….panicked, I was worried you were...hurt, and I couldn't do anything to help you, and then I would be all alone again, and you could have died, and it's just…ugh...I'm sorry Hank, I kinda flew off the handle there, I shouldn't have yelled at you”

Hank put his hand on Connors' shoulder, rubbing circles with his thumb in a comforting way. “You don't have to be sorry Connor, you were anxious and scared, I understand. Listnet, next time we will either go together or we'll figure something else right okay?” Connor nodded with his head down, embarrassed by his behavior. 

“So how did playing the guitar work out for you? Make you feel relaxed?” Connor nodded, pointing over to the instrument abandoned on the couch. “It actually was really helpful, I hadn't felt that relaxed in forever.”

“Not even with your drinking and cigarettes?” 

Connor thought for a moment before nodding his head once, “I think I could honestly stop smoking and drinking as long as I keep playing and having baths and just ya know everything else we've tried. I have been feeling a lot better and I'm glad that I won't have to rely on those things for the rest of my life.” 

Hank gave him a big smile, running the hand that had taken up his shoulder and moving it to his hair in a comforting manner, “That's great Connor, well keep you as relaxed and calm as possible whenever you need it.”

A moment of comfortable silence fell over the two, interrupted by Hank standing from the table and walking to the counter grabbing items from the bags he brought home, “Why don't you play your guitar while I make dinner? You don't have to sing or anything, just play, I'm sure it could be relaxing for both of us.” 

Connor nodded, agreeing with his friend, and heading over to get the guitar from the couch. He returned to the kitchen with the guitar in hand, sitting on the table and putting his feet on the chair he usually sat in. 

“What are you making for dinner anyway?”

“A healthy pizza”

“Pizza? How can you make a pizza healthy” 

“ Healthy ingredients”

Connor chuckled at Hanks obvious answer as he began to strum a tune that Hank didn't recognize. Making the food went by surprisingly fast as he listened to Connor play, beautiful music coming from the modest instrument. When he put the pizza in the oven he took a seat in his usual chair and leaned back, closing his eyes and folding his hands over his chest. 

He reflected on Connors earlier behavior, he must have a large problem with anxiety with something so simple had stirred him up to that extent. He wondered if Connor had a therapist or if he had ever gone to see one. Probably not, Connor was too proud to ever admit that he needed any help. Hank assumed the man just let himself suffer alone and was probably had no intention of finding help for his physical or emotional conditions. 

Before they knew it, the timer to the oven had gone off. Hank stood from his chair and opened the oven to reveal the delicious looking pizza, “Time to eat,” Hank announced. Connor stopped playing and Hank already missed the sound that filled the room. He put a piece of the pizza on a plate from the drying rack beside the sink and brought it over to the table with a cup of lemonade that he had bought that day. 

“Careful, it's hot.” Connor nodded, blowing on the food before taking a small bite, letting out a pleased moan at the taste. “It's so good Hank!” He exclaimed while taking another bite before yelping due to the heat, “I told you it was hot,” Hank chipped, a laugh falling from his lips. 

“Yeah yeah I know,” Connor chuckle as he took a sip from his lemonade. They sat in silence as Connor ate. Hank scanned him and noticed that the man had gained three pounds since yesterday. His mouth quirked up into a half smile, knowing he was taking care of Connor, hoping he could get him up to normal weight within a couple months. 

 

A couple of hours later the two decided to call it a night and headed to the bedroom near the back of the house. Hank went straight to the bathroom, cleaning up the items that fell from the sink earlier that day. When he completed his task, he stood in the doorway of Connors bedroom door, now changed into sweatpants and a light gray shirt, hair still in his usual bun. He looked Connor only wearing his boxers as he crawled into bed. 

“I think it might be best if I stay in here with you in here tonight, to watch over your breathing,” Connor rolled his eyes and let out a breathy laugh as he settled underneath the covers. “Don't deny it, Hank, you just want to sleep with me and you know it.” 

Hank held up his hand's palms facing out in an ‘I surrender’ type motion, laughing loudly. “That's exactly it, you got me, Connor,” Hank joked, taking Connors comment as permission and made his way to the other side of the bed, climbing on top of the covers waiting until Connor was comfortable. 

The human turned off the lamp on the bedside table, rolling onto his back already almost half asleep. Hanks' palm fell onto the man's chest which strangely pulled no reaction from the human. Connor continued off to sleep as Hank himself entered rest mode when he felt Connors breath slow as sleep overcame him. 

 

Hank awoke in the middle of the night and he knew exactly why. His internal clock read two fifteen am, he looked over to Connor and noticed that his breathing had halted in his sleep. He set a timer starting five seconds before the time he woke up. He kept his hand on Connors' chest and his eyes trained on the man's face.

Thirty seconds had gone by with no change and Hank began to worry. He remembered what the doctor had said, only to wake him up if he had stopped breathing for more than one minute. The seconds continued to tick by, each one more frightful than the last. 

At forty-five seconds, Hank turned onto his knees, kneeling over the struggling human, ready to act when necessary. With one hand still on Connors' chest and the other holding him up, he waited, hoping desperately for him to breathe. 

When one minute had hit, Hank desperately began to shake Connors' shoulders, praying for some kind of response. “Connor, Connor wake up, get up Connor!” It took a little bit of encouraging but soon, Connor took in a large breath of air as he began to wake

“Hank?’ Connor said groggily, his voice deeper as it was still filled with sleep. Hank let out the breath he had been holding. Connor opened his eyes and looked to the man above him, confusion lining his stare. “Hank, why did you wake me up?” Connor snapped, annoyance filling his voice. 

“You weren't breathing, Connor” Hank snapped back immediately, frustration and worry lining his voice. “You. Were not. Breathing. For one minute and four seconds. You were not breathing.”

Connor could practically feel the frustration seeping from the android above him. His eyes locked with Hanks and they softened, understanding. Hank moved from above Connor to his original place on laying beside him. Connor looked over to him, and let out a small sigh, “Thank you for waking me, Hank,”

“You're welcome Connor,” 

About ten minutes later, Connor had drifted off to sleep once again. Hank had decided to remain awake for the remainder of the night, keeping an eye on the man. Hank didn't want to chance that Connor would cease his breathing once again. But he would soon find that there were other things that plagued Connor during the night. 

It was about an hour after Connor had been awoken, he had started making small noises in his sleep. Hank had made sure that the human was not struggling another round of sleep apnea. He was in fact breathing, but he was whimpering, almost making a crying type of noise. 

Hank moved a bit closer to the human, keeping a close eye on his vitals, his heart rate was steadily rising, as was his temperature. He started to move, his head moving back and forth with a pained expression on his face. “Connor?” Hank spoke trying to stop whatever was causing him harm. 

Soon, Connors body began to move violently, tears slipping out of his eyes that were squeezed shut tightly. Hank jerked himself over to Connor, grabbing his shoulders, trying to shake the man awake. “Connor! Connor wake up!!” 

When Connor still didn't wake, Hank tried to think about what could be the problem, he eventually classed it as a nightmare and was even more determined to wake him. He swung one leg over Connors body so that he was straddling his hips. Connors whole body was shaking, his arms thrashing around, trying to fight off whatever thought was destroying his mind. 

“Connor!” Hank yelled again putting his arms on Connors' shoulders shaking him violently until his tear stained eyes snapped open and a small shout flew from his mouth. The minute his eyes fell upon Hanks' face, Connors body surged up, his arms wrapping around Hanks body. One arm around his neck and the other around his chest, his head rested on the androids shoulder. Hanks one arm came up around Connors back, helping to keep the human tightly against his chest. 

Connor began to cry, screaming with fear, or pain, Hank couldn't really be sure. He was sobbing uncontrollably and Hank had no idea how to stop it. Hank rubbed his back lightly shushing him, holding him close and whispering in his ear. “Its okay, you’re okay now, it can't hurt you. It’s not real” 

Connors breathing had become erratic, he was unable to draw in full breaths, and could only let them out with a strong wheeze. Hank tried to calm him but nothing was working, Connors breathing was harder and slower and Hank began to worry. 

“Hank-k-k-k...I c-c-cant brea-the, h-h-h-help-p-p me p-please!” Connor was screaming out to Hank, begging for help, and Hank had no idea what to do. “Connor please tell me what to do to help you. Please tell me what to do!!”

Hank watched as the arm around his neck reached over to the bedside table, however, he was unable to reach it. Hank got the message and pulled open the drawer and reached his hand inside, he pushed around and grabbed many things until he found what he assumed he was looking for. He pulled out a small inhaler, shaking it, as he laid Connor back down onto the bed, having to peel the humans arms from around his body. 

“Okay, Conner you're going to have to breathe for me okay? Just take it easy.” Hank brought the inhaler to Connors' mouth, studying his breathing for a moment until he knew exactly when to squeeze. He squeezed at the same moment that Connor tried to inhale. He did it once more as Connor tried to take in full breaths. After a moment his breathing became easier and his heart rate began to slow. After ensuring that Connor was on the path to recovery, Hank leaned back and looked at the bottle of medicated air in his hands, and was shocked. 

“Connor! This medication is ten years old!” Hank looked down at the man still breathing heavily underneath him. Connor let out a light chuckle and waved a hand around, almost as if to wave off the thought. 

“I haven't n-needed it s-s-since I was a c-child, I used to g-g-get a lot of t-t-them.” Hank nodded in understanding, setting the inhaler on the surface of the table beside them. The android rolled off of Connor, taking up the now cold space beside him. “Did you want to talk about your nightmare?” Hank asked, noticing Connors breath was almost back to normal. 

Connor shook his head, ‘I would really rather just forget about it,” 

“I understand, try to get some sleep we can talk in the morning if you would like,” 

Hank put his hand back on Connors' chest as he had done every other time they had slept. However, this time was different. Just as Hank was about to let himself slip into rest mode, he felt Connors' hand reach up to his chest to grab onto Hanks. He wrapped his hand around Hanks, not interlocking fingers, but simply holding the middle of his hand in his own. He felt Connor give a tight squeeze, then relax, but he left his hand there, for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, this one is a bit longer!! I hope you guys like this I worked really hard on it!! Less research though so sorry if some things are wrong. Not sure when the next update will be, I work a lot in the next few days so who knows! Let me know what you think of this one!! Send me some ideas for what you want to see in this story! Id love to take a look at how you guys want this story to go! Have a good day and thank you for reading!!


	6. Armed Robbery

After a couple days of being at home, relaxing and sleeping most of the time, it was time to head back to work, much to Connors dismay. They hadn't talked about Connors nightmare, other that Hank insisting that they get him some medication that is not ten years old. Connor agreed and now he had a new inhaler sitting in his bedside table. 

The two walked into the precinct, receiving the usual nods and hellos from the receptionist before heading into the back. Connor receives a couple of strange looks, mostly due to him being on time for his shift for the first time in the last few years. They took a seat at their desks, only staying seated for about two minutes before waked over to them, dropping a file on Connors desk. 

“Welcome back you two, as a back-to-work gift, there was an armed robbery downtown you get to go investigate.” Fowler knew the response that he was going to get, usually, Connor would groan and be pissed off about having to investigate anything that wasn't necessary. 

Connor simply let out a small sigh as he picked up the file in his hands, “Alright, we’ll go in a second.” The captain was shocked, he looked up from Connor who was now entering the information into his terminal, to the android beside him. He was sitting with perfect posture in his chair, arms crossed and a small smirk on his lips.

When their eyes met, Hank gave a small shrug and stood from his chair, straightening his tie. Slowly, the captain made his way to his office and watched as the unlikely duo made their way to the exit, towards Connors car. 

Connor let out a loud sigh as he sunk down into the driver's seat, doing up his seat belt and turning the key in the ignition. Hank sat down in the car as it roared to life, heat pouring out of the vents. “Why don't you want to go investigate?” Hank asked as he put his own seatbelt on. Connor shook his head lightly, pulling out of the parking lot. 

“They don't know where the guy went, I’m worried he's still there, just waiting for us to make an attack.” Hank understood his fear, he didn't want anyone to get hurt either. “Don't worry, Connor, that's why you have a partner, I'm here for you and you're here for me, okay?”

Connor nodded, appreciating Hanks kind words, easily calming him. It was about a five-minute drive to the convenience store. When they got there they saw the employee outside, talking to the first responder, who held off on going inside, knowing that the other two were coming for backup. 

Connor parked the car and got out walking straight up to the first responder. “Where is the suspect?” He asked, setting his hand on the officer shoulder. “We don't know, no one saw him flee so we are quite sure he is still in the building. All the doors except the front are locked, and he hasn't come out this way. We tried to connect with the security cameras inside, but we think he has some kind of device to scramble the signal” 

Connor nodded swearing under his breath, his body stiffening. “Would you like me and my partner to accompany you inside?” The officer was still supporting the body of the employee who was hysterically crying into his chest. Connor shook his head and looked behind him to see Hank ready behind him, hand on his gun in its holster. “We’ll be okay, just make sure he's alright and be ready in case things go downhill,” The officer nodded once again, turning back to the terrified woman on his chest. Connor gestured for Hank to follow him close behind.

Connor slowly pushed open the door to the store, his gun drawn and read to be fired if necessary. He took a few steps into the store, Hank joined him at his side. Connor looked over to the android, bringing one hand up to his own forehead, the same place where Hanks LED sat, asking him to scan the area. 

Hank nodded in understanding, looking around the store, scanning the environment. “He is here somewhere, whatever he was using to scramble the camera system, is scamming my ability to scan the area.” Connor nodded and returned his attention to the middle of the store, taking slow steps to the right, while motioning for Hank to explore the left side of the store. 

Hank followed his instruction, immediately looking into any doors that the criminal could be hiding in. Connor checks the first door on his right, slowly in pushing it open with his gun raised in front of him. When he found that room to be empty, a little storage room, he continued further into the store. Just as he was about to reach the next room, he noticed something strange on the ceiling, one of the lightweight tiles was slightly out of place, showing a small sliver of back into whatever was above. 

“Hank” He whispered so quietly he wasn't sure if the distracted android had heard him. When he looked around he saw Hank entering the back room, still looking, he hadn't heard him. Connor slowly reached up, pushing the tile up and to the side slightly to reveal a bit more. 

Suddenly, a black figure falling from the ceiling above blocked Connors vision. He was unable to raise his gun in time, allowing the figure to fall on top of him and push him to the floor. “HANK!” He called, hearing footsteps pound into the bigger area of the store. 

Connor felt a burning pain in the shoulder but was unable to identify the cause in his confusion. The figure pushed itself off of the detective's body, trying to make a run for it when he realized he was about to be outnumbered. Connor felt an elbow smash into his face and he groaned in pain, raising his hand to cover where he had been impacted. 

The figure was off of Connor, running for the door, the human tried to get up and follow the criminal. He was unable to do so when he felt the pain in his shoulder return. He looked over to try to identify the source of his discomfort, a twelve-inch kitchen knife, stuck out of his shoulder, a puddle of blood seeping out onto the floor behind him.

He stopped trying to get up and just laid on his back, wanting to remove the knife but knowing that he would be in much more danger if he did. He heard bodys crumble to the floor and was immediately scared that Hank may not be the one in control of the scuffle on the floor, who knows what other weapons this maniac had. 

“Hank!” He yelled again, wanting to know what was going on but in too much pain to move into a position where he could see clearly. He felt blood continuing to pour out of the wound, fear and blood loss making his head spin. He brought his hand to his shoulder, trying to stem the bleeding, by holding around the knife, even though it caused him immense pain. He tried his best to push himself into a sitting position but the pain was too great. 

“I got him!” The breathless reply was enough for Connor to relax from his place on the floor. Knowing that Hank had it under control, and he wasn't in any immediate danger. Blood was still spilling from his arm at an intense pace and Connor wondered if there were any main arteries that went through a person's shoulder. The world around his was fading a little bit but Connor tried to stay conscience as he wanted for someone to see him.

Connor was very squeamish when it came to his own blood. Anyone else's blood never really bothered him, but when he was the one bleeding, he found it hard to keep his stomach contents in. His own blood made him dizzy and queasy, so he tried his best not to look at his injured shoulder.

He heard many voices near the front of the store and figure that it must have been the other officers, assisting Hank is cuffing the dangerous robber. Soon enough, the commotion died down and all the noise exited the store. “Connor?” He heard Hank call his name and held his uninjured arm above his head, calling out, “I'm over..here,” His voice was slurring but Connor wasn't scared anymore, he knew that Hank would get him somewhere safe and he wouldn't have to worry. 

“Holy fuck, Connor! What the hell?!” Hank grabbed Connors outstretched hand, bringing it to his chest and holding tight, Hank quickly did a scan over Connors body, running his hand through the humans hair. “I need help over here!” The android screamed at the paramedics that had just arrived on sight. 

“I'm a-alright Hank...I'll be fine;” Connor was still slurring, his voice quieter that it usually was. “How the fuck can you say that? You have a fucking knife sticking out of your fucking shoulder.” The paramedics mad finally reached them, kneeling down beside Connor, doing their best to asses the damage at the knife had caused. 

They asked Hank to move so they could have more room to work, he moved right above Connors head, still clutching his hand tightly. The paramedics were asking Connor all kinds on questions, but he chose to ignore them, instead he wanted to talk to Hank. “I know t-that I'll be o-o-okay because you're h-here. I t-trust you Hank. You’re p-pretty good at t-t-taking …. care of m-me.” Connors voice was still weak but he was holding on, Hank just couldn't seem to shake the lingering fear from seeing Connor hurt like this. 

“Brachial artery seems to have been severed, we need to move him right now!” Hank could only watch as the paramedics lifted Connor onto a stretcher and carried him out into the ambulance. They allowed Hank to sit in the back with them but only because Connor had insisted on it. The drive to the hospital was long, in Hanks opinion anyway, he hated to see Connor so weak and vulnerable. 

After about three minutes, they arrived and Connor was ushered into the emergency care area of the hospital. Hank held Connors hand until the double doors of the surgery ward, where he was forced to stay behind and enter the waiting room to the right. “Well let you know as soon as we have any news,” The nice nurse had promised him. 

So Hank waited, and waited, and waited. He waited as Fowler took his statement of what had happened at the store, he waited as a technician (An Android version of a doctor) checked him over to make sure he hadn't been injured. He waited as hundreds of people walked by him, doctors, nurses, patients, and visitors alike. 

It felt like days had passed when the nurse finally came out to greet him. He stood from his chair and met her halfway across the waiting room, “How is he?” The android asked, worry almost leaking out of him.

“Hello, Hank.” She started while looking at the pages on her clip bored. “Connor is just fine, he is resting currently. The knife had severed a large artery, we were however able to repair it with simple sutures, there has luckily been no nerve damage. We were able to repair the muscle over his shoulder with a simple surgery. He is going to be just fine.” Hank let out a large sigh of relief, a hand going to his face almost as if to wipe the fear from his face.

“Can I see him?” 

“Oh, of course, right this way”

Hank followed the nurse down the hallway and then a couple more adjoining hallways. They passed by many doors and when the nurse stopped, Hank looked through the tiny window on the door, seeing his friend with a few machines hooked up to him, looking so small on the bed, regardless of his actually hight. Hanks hand immediately went to the handle to open the door but was stopped by the nurse's hand on his own.

“I want to you be aware Hank, the Connor is very underweight. A man of his size and age should weight anywhere around one hundred and forty to one hundred and seventy pounds. Connor is just barely over the one hundred pound mark.” Hank nodded, head bowed, sadness present on his face. 

“I promise that I am working on it Miss, it's not that he doesn't want to eat or something like that. He says he just never feels hungry, I am sure it is not as much of a mental health problem as we think, not in a dangerous way anyways. So I think I could easily and quickly get him back up to a normal weight.” The nurse makes something down on her clipboard, nodding towards the door, allowing Hank to enter the room. “You can take him home when he wakes up,” She added before walking back down the hallway they had come from. 

Hank made his way to Connors beside, taking a seat in the chair that was placed there. He brought his hand to Connors head running through his dark strands of hair. His other hand wrapping around Connors own hand, rubbing small circles on the top of his hand. 

“I'm so sorry Connor,” Hank felt artificial tears welling in his eyes, he wiped them away quickly, knowing he needed to be strong for his injured friend. He tried not to look at all the machines around, even though he knew that they were all just protocol. Nothing out of the ordinary. He also tired not to look at the man's shoulder, which was wrapped up in white pristine bandages, protecting the wound from any outside debris. 

Hank noticed an arm sling on the table beside his bed, he guessed that Connor would be wearing it for a couple weeks to keep the strain off of his shoulder. A small cup of red jello sat beside the fabric. The sugary snack was probably to help Connor in gaining weight for the short time that he was here. 

A sudden sound startled Hank, he looked down at Connor and saw his eyes open, looking at the android above him “Hey Hank,” Hank let out a toothy smile, standing from the chair and leaning down to pull Connor into a light hug. The two held on for a few moments before Hank slowly let go and sat back down in the chair, keeping his hand on top of Connor's arm. 

“How are you feeling?” Hank asked, his eyes soft. Conor shrugged comically, “I cant feel a damn thing,” He laughed. Hank joined him, they laughed together only to be interrupted when the nurse walked into the room, clipboard in hand. “Well it's good to see that you're feeling better, Mr. Anderson,” Connor waved the hand on his uninjured arm, “Please, call me Connor, Mr. Anderson makes me feel old, almost as old as Hank looks.” 

Everyone in the room burst out laughing, Hank had no idea why Connor was acting the way he was, but he did like it. When the nurse had calmed her laughing she spoke again, “That would be due to all the pain medication his is on right now, it will wear off in a couple of hours.” She had finally stifle all he laughing, but still sported a large smile on her face. “I'm going to make this quick so you guys can get going, so Connor is going to need some pain prescriptions to be picked up. Currently he is essentially ‘high’ you could say,” She raised her hands to make air quotes around the word, dropping them back down as she continued. 

“However, the medication he is getting will not have the same effect, he should be pretty much normal when he takes them. Also Connor, you are going to have to wear that sling over there, so that none of your stitches get ripped.” Hank lifted the purple fabric from the table, trying to get it onto Connors body properly, but was struggling due to how much he was laughing because ‘that color is crazy!’. Hank laughed along with him, unable to contain it when he heard Connor laughing. 

The nurse continued, fighting through her own giggles. “Finally, Hank you are going to have to make sure he gains weight, he is going to be very vulnerable to certain viruses and other things due to the weakness from lack of nutrition. In this case, his malnourished body had trouble stopping the bleeding from the knife because the blood wouldn't clot fast enough.”

She put her clipboard down and looked at Connor whos arm was properly placed in the sling, the man has his head back against the pillow, looking back and forth, looking at all the things the room had to offer. Hank was trying to get him to eat the Jello but Connor was just too preoccupied with everything there was to see. 

“I believe that is it, once you two are ready to go, you can sign out and be on your way.” She made her way to the door, giving the two a bit of privacy, feeling back that Hank was now going to have to try to get Conor dressed in his lucid state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this chapter is good for you guys!! Are you guys excited for Connor and Hank to actually get closer, perhaps dating or do you think its too early in the story? I'm really excited to write a lot of fluffy moments between them and just general relationship things as well. I'm worried it might be too early for them to actually be that close. But I don't want it to get boring for you! What do you guys think? Take it slow or just get on with it?
> 
> Tell what you though and what you want to see later!! Oh, and do you guys want any smut? or no? I'm down for whatever, but let me know! I planned on doing it in the future but whatever you want it okay!


	7. Recovering And a Walk in The Park

The men had just returned home, but Connor was already sleep in the front seat of the car. Hank didn’t know if he should wake Connor so he could get him in the house, or if he should just let the man sleep. He decided it would be for Connor if he stayed sleeping, It was beneficial for his healing wounds. He grabbed the three bottles of prescription bottles for the cup holder, stuffing them in his pocket.

He opened the car door and shut it quietly, walking around the front of the car and opened Connors door. The man was leaning back against the seat, his head tipped back just slightly. Hank freed him from the seat belt and put one arm back around Connors' shoulders, pulling him to his own chest where his head leaned against Hank s shoulder and nuzzled into his neck. Hank slipped his other arm under Connors' knees and easily lifted him out of the old vehicle. 

Using his hip to firmly close the car door, the android headed to the front door and, with some difficulty, unlocked the front door. He used his knee to keep the large dog in the door and stop him from running out into the street. “Down Sumo,” Hank said softly, thankful as the dog went to his bed and laid down. Hank made his way to the bedroom, trying his best to not jostle his injured friend. 

Thankfully, the bedroom door was already open. He placed Connor on his side of the bed, covering him up with warm blankets, deciding to leave Connor without a shirt on, as to not stress his shoulder. Hank leaned back up from the bed and made his way to the door but was stopped when he feels a hand weakly grab his own. 

“Can you s-stay please? I d-don’t want to be a-alone,” Connors' voice was weak and scared and Hank could feel his hypothetical heart just break. Hearing Connor’s voice so weak thanks to the stress and medication. It never fails to make Hank want to hold him and hide him away from everything back in the world. 

Hank wrapped his own hand around Connors weak one giving it a tight squeeze, “I’ll be right back, okay? I just have to take care of Sumo and then I’ll come take care of you,” Hank placed Connors hand back on the bed over the covers on top of his chest. Connor smiled lazily up at him and nodded at him. 

Hank exited the room quickly, letting Sumo outside and then racing to fill his food and water bowls. He watches at the back door as Sumo played for a bit, wanting nothing more than to join Connor back in his bedroom. After five minutes he called Sumo back and took a bit of time to give Sumo some loving pets and cuddles. 

Allowing Sumo to return to his food bowl, Hank grabbed the pill that Connor was scheduled to take and quickly walked down the hall and into the bedroom where Connor was surprisingly still awake. Keeping the medication in his hand, he got onto the bed on top of the covers. 

“You have to take this medication, okay? This one is an antibiotic, helps to fight off any infection or bacteria that could have gotten into your wound,” Connor nodded slightly to Hanks instruction taking the pill in his hand. Hank helped him to sit up against the headboard and handed him the glass of water that was already on the bedside table. He brought the glass to Connors' lips, helping him to drink the cool beverage. 

After Connor had successfully taken the pill, Hank sat with him against the headboard. He couldn't help but look at the white bandage wrapped around Connors' shoulder that he would have to change in approximately four hours ten minutes and seventeen seconds. 

“I'm sorry Connor,” Hank whispered, sadness weighing him down. Connor looked over to him, his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. 

“What are you sorry for? Did you break something?” 

“No, you got stabbed today because I wasn't watching your back, you even told me how scared you were before we even got there and I told you that I had your back, but I wasn't there when you needed me.”

“Hank, are you serious? You were doing your job searching the other side of the store. It wouldn't even make any sense for us to search the same spots at the same time. If you weren't there it probably would have been a lot worse,” 

“What do you mean?”

“Come on hank, I thought you were super smart. If I had gone in there alone, and he attacked me, he probably would have just killed me. Since you were there, he didn't have time to get me again, I owe you my life, Hank,”

Hank looked up from his hands in lap, to Connor's face which was also looking at him. He hadn't thought about it like that, he did prevent the attacker from sticking again. As much as he tried, he couldn't shake the lingering guilt that resonates deep within him. He brought his head down in shame once again playing with his thumbs. 

Connors hand on the androids shoulder brought his head back up again. “If it makes you feel better to hear me say it, I forgive you, Hank, I know you would never do anything that would purposely end up with me being harmed.”

Hanks' mouth turned into a crooked smile as he nodded his head, allowing the guilt to leave him, for the moment anyway. Hank helped Connor to lay back down on the bed and tucked him in

“I wanna do something special tomorrow Connor, so that we can spend time together without having to stress about anything, just time to relax. I already have an idea in mind,”

Connor opened his eyes lazily, smiling faintly at the android, “That sounds like fun, Hank,” Hank smile at the man's compliance, returning to his position beside the almost sleeping human. He raised his hand into the normal position on top of Connors' chest and wasn't surprised when not two seconds later, Connors' hand was on top of his own, holding on just slightly. 

Hank set his internal alarm to wake him at the exact time that Connor needed his bandages changed and his medications doses. The android entered rest mode peacefully, happy that this position at night was becoming fairly regular. 

 

It was about noon by the time the two had climbed into the car, much to Connors delight, Sumo was able to accompany them. Hank was at the wheel, the destination only being known by him. Connor was dressed warmly, despite it being the warmest day they had had in a while. His arm was sitting in the purple sling, and Connor acted as if it wasn't even there. 

He had a soft smile on his lips, enjoying the ride and Sumos occasional barks small from the backseat. 

“Where are we going?” The human turned his head away from the scenery passing the window and to Hanks' face, the light gray beard groomed to perfection and his hair pulled back into a small bun. “I wouldn't be a surprise if I told you where we are going, that's not how surprises work,” Hank chuckled turning left out of town. 

Connor continued to stare out the window, watching all the passing buildings turn into fields and countryside. Connor felt himself starting to fall asleep, car rides were always really soothing to him. Every Time he felt himself beginning to drift off, he would wake himself up, trying to not lean against the window. 

After about the third time that he had to wake himself up, jolting in his seat, He felt Hanks hand being laid down on his knee, rubbing small circles with his thumb as he always did. “You can go to seep, Connor, we still have an hour to go, and you must be extremely tired, you can sleep” 

Connor thought to himself for a moment, wanting to sleep, but also wanting to keep Hank company. He ended up nodding his head, leaning back against the window almost immediately falling into a light sleep. Hank was about to move his hand back to rest on the gear shift, until he felt Connors own hand lay upon his, keeping it on top of his knee. Hank smiled lightly and the sleeping human, and decided it would be okay to keep his hand on the man's knee until they got off the highway. 

It was a peaceful journey regardless of the restful large dog in the back. At one point or another, their hands had shifted so now Hank was holding Connors hand in his, resting on top of Connors' knee. Hank couldn't deny that he felt something towards the smaller man, something more than friendship. However, he was worried that Connor did not feel the same. Hank had been told but their friends at the precinct that Connor seemed a lot happier now that Hank had become his partner. 

According to many of their fellow co-workers, Connor was heading down a deep dark hole of depression, that no one believed he would come out of. Since the death of his brother, years before, they had said that Connor had never been the same. He was never happy to be at work or out with anyone, only found comfort in the bottom of a bottle and a pack of cigarettes. Tina has told him that even days after Hank had become his partner, Connor was acting different, he seemed less alone, having someone to talk to and confide in. 

Since Hank had moved in, Tina was pleased to see Connor eating at his desk, she hadn't ever actually seen him eat anything. Hank knew that a major part in Connors sudden trust in him was partially due to Hank being there for him during his seizure. 

Connor had told him that they were extremely scary to go through and that having Hank there for him was really helpful. Hank was happy that he could be there for Connor, and be that person who helped him escape so many dark thoughts in his mind. Hank knew that Connor had many hurdles to face, especially dealing with his past and his mental health, but Hank hoped he would be able to be there for him, and support him. 

Hank regretfully removed his hand from Connors, putting it back on the wheel, to keep the car under control. The android spared a glance at the sleeping Lieutenant, noticing that he was very adorable when he was sleeping. Hank paid attention to the road for the rest of the ride, quite thankful when they had arrived. 

Hank reached out and gently shook Connors' shoulder, the man's face scrunched up in discomfort as his eyes opened up a sliver, “Were here,” Hank announced. Connor lifted his head from where it laid against the window and yawned. Hank had to stifle a laugh, the hair on side of Connors' head that was against the window was stuck up in many different directions. 

Connor looked over to the giggling android and furred his brows, “What?” he asked, voice deep and raspy from his nap. Hank raised a finger, pointing to the mess of curls on top of his head. Connor pulled down the visor and look at the mirror that was on it. He chuckled at the state of his hair, trying to push it down only to have it spring back up. “Yeah, I really need a haircut,” 

After finally getting the piece of hair to lay flat, he looked back at Hank who nodded in approval, “I can give you a haircut when we get back, I noticed a pair of clippers in the bathroom the other day,” Connor nodded, suddenly very excited to get home and cut off the extra hair. 

“Where are we anyway?” He flipped up the visor and looked around, the sun was shining upon that park that they were parked in front of him, a banner hung above the entrance but it was too far away for Connor to read it. Suddenly Sumo popped his head up into the front seat, barking loudly, wanting to be out of the vehicle as soon as possible. 

‘“An adoption show,” Connor shot the android a confused glace. 

“Hank, we can't get another dog, Sumo is more than enough,” 

“We don't have to adopt any of them, a lot of them are all from shelters. The shelters will bring their animals here, and people will get a chance to look at them and cuddle with them, play with them and everything. Mostly, they just want to give the animals a chance to be loved and play and really just connect with people.” 

“That's actually a really good idea,”

“I agree, I know you love animal, so I thought it might be good for you,”

Connor gave the android an appreciative glance, “Thank you, Hank, I really really appreciate you wanting to take me somewhere like this,” Hank nodded, opening the door of the car, and opening the back door for Sumo, attaching the leash to the dog's collar. Connor followed suit, opening his own door, being careful of his injured shoulder. 

Hank kept his hands on Sumos leash, joining Connor in front of the old car. Together the trio walked towards the entrance of the park, hearing playful barks and meows as they entered. Connor smiled at all the animals they passed, some old and some young. He stopped to pet as many as he could, loving all of them and needing Hanks hep to get him away before he adopted all of them. The walkways were all very crowded, hundreds of people coming around to see all the animals, and Connor couldn't help but feel anxious. 

About halfway through the walk, Hank felt Connor leaning into his body, getting as close as he could, without shoving the android into other people. He could feel the human trembling, although he didn't know why. “Are you cold Connor? You're shaking” Hank bought his arm around the man's shoulder, holding him close to his side.

“Not really, I just feel kind of uncomfortable in large crowds.” Hank, nodded, understanding why Connor would be anxious, many people all over the world had a fear of crowds. Hank shrugged off his jacket and putting it over Connors' shoulders, hoping that it would make him feel more secure and protected. He kept his arm wrapped around Connors' shoulders, keeping him close and away from others walking along the path.

Later on, they had stumbled upon another st.bernard, who looked exactly like Sumo, The two of them played around for a bit, Sumo whimpering as Hank pulled him away from his new friend. For the rest of the walk, Sumo was quite, just enjoying the long walk he was able to have. Connor tugged Hanks very large jacket over his tiny frame as it began to slip down his shoulders.

They were nearing the end of the long line of pets, only a few playpens left, when one caught Connor's eye. A playpen of about eight kittens, all variations of white, black, gray, and brown. Connor kneeled down in front of the pen, petting all the kittens he could reach. The kitten in the very back, he was rolling around in the grass by himself, trying to take down a tall dandelion. 

Connor got up from where he sat, the other kittens going back to playing with themselves. Connor reached his hand out to the kitten, he smelled Connors outstretched hand before, leaning its entire head in his palm. The kitten had bright green eyes, its cheeks, mouth area and up the bridge of his nose was all white, while the forehead, ears, and the sides of the face were stripes of dark and light brown. Its nose was bright pink, with a spot of brown on the left side. 

“Hank, just look at him,” Connor whispered, petting the kitty head that was still sat in his palm. Hank kneeled down beside Connor, petting the kitten's ears. Connor looked up towards the owner who said that he could take the kitten out of the pen if he wanted too. 

Connor lifted the tiny kitten out and brought it down in front of Sumo’s face. The two animals looked at each other for a moment, suddenly the kitten pawed at Sumo’s nose and the giant dog reacted by sticking his tongue out and licking the kittens face. Connor felt his heart swell, he just couldn't stop smiling, he hadn't felt this type of happiness in such a long time. 

“What happened to not wanting to adopt anything Connor?” Hank smirked as he pets Sumo’s head, letting him know that he did well. 

“Hank! Look. At. Him. How could anyone not want him!! Can we take him, please?” He asked, worry lacing his voice. 

“It's your decision Connor, I love cats,”

Connor picked up the small animal in his hands, looking at the owner who already held a ‘starter kit’ in his hands. Connor stood from the ground walking over to the elderly man, in his hand was a small litter box, a few cans of food, a couple toys, and a small custom pamphlet that held information all about this specific kitten. 

The elderly man had a sweet smile on his wrinkly face and kindness just seemed to pour out of him if Connor had known his grandfather's he would have wanted them to be just like him. “I hope you'll be happy with him, my wife loved cats, and after she died I wanted to see other people just as happy with them as she was,” Connor felt himself wanting to tell the man he was sorry, but he held up a wrinkled hand and a soft smile, so Connor stayed quiet. 

“I think you will quite enjoy him, he is a special little kitten, lots of love to give. The only thing I'll need you to do is sign this contract here, all it says is that for some reason if things are not working out, you are to contact me and together we can work on re-homing him. It just ensures that he is not sent to an unfit home, or abandoned somewhere.” 

Connor nodded and quickly signed two copies of the contract, eyes holding back happy tears at the action as he handed the small animal to Hank. The elderly man haded the starter kit to Connor and continued, “Please, if there are any problems, give me a call, I'm happy to help. Also, you are going to need to pick a name so I can put it on the contract and your paperwork, needs it as well.” 

He looked at Connor, waiting for an answer. Connor looked back at the kitten, who was not playing with a strand of hair that had fallen from Hanks bun, he looked back at the paperwork in his hand, hearing Sumo let out a happy bark, watching Hank play with the small fur ball. 

“I think We’ll call him, Richy.” He though for a moment trying to make sure he was confident. 

“Yeah, Richy is perfect”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this !!!! I thought it was time for Connor to actually enjoy something. Tell me what you though in the comments!
> 
> Also, I have made an email account for this story, since there is no privet message feature (unless I'm just insane and couldn't find it) If you want to contact me privately about anything, like beta readers, prompts or maybe just to say hi! Anything you want at all!! You can contact me at swood3133@gmail.com!
> 
> I think that's it from me!! Have a beautiful day and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	8. Early Winter

In the two weeks after they had adopted Richy, the weather had gotten harsh. A foot of snow had fallen despite it only being the end of October, not even close to the start of winter. Connor knew that every winter he got extremely sick, flu season was always terrible for him. However, due to the very early snowfall, Connor did not have time to relay this information to Hank. 

Thankfully it was Wednesday, and for the two detectives, that meant it was their day off. Hank had noticed Connor was not feeling well when they woke up. He did a scan of Connors body as he always did when he woke up and noticed that his body temperature was up to one hundred and two point two, indicating that he had a fever. Connors breathing was also very shallow, which worried the android. 

“Are you okay Connor? I believe you are sick, you have a fever and your breathing sounds very harsh,”

“No fucking kidding,” came Connors snarky reply. Hank chuckled at his companions sarcasm, something he was glad that he understood. Hank grabbed onto Connors' shoulder and began trying to pull him out of bed, “What the fuck Hank, I just want to sleep, please let me just lay down” The desperation in Connors' voice almost made Hank flinch. He hated seeing Connor so weak. 

“You can sleep, I just want to bring you into the living room so I can keep an eye on you.” Hank got up from the bed and walked over to Connors side of the bed. He brought his hand to Connors' forehead, pushing the curly hair out of his face and looking into his eyes. They were bloodshot and had dark circles underneath them. 

Connon nodded to Hanks request and pushed Him back slightly as he sat up. He lifted himself off of the bed and swayed dangerously, he would have ended up on the floor, had Hank not been there holding his waist, keeping him in place. 

“Are you dizzy?” 

“A little,” Connor whispered, leaning forward and resting his warm forehead against Hanks' shoulder. Hank was at a loss, what was making his friend so sick? He let go of Connors' waist just briefly so that he could grab Connors wrist and bring them around his own neck. “I'm going to carry you to the living room, okay?” 

Connor only nodded, changing the position of his head to nestle in the crook of Hanks' neck, sending chills down the android spine everytime the human breathed. Connors' hands tightened around the android's neck, in preparation.

Hank brought his hands to the underside of Connors' thighs, holding tight enough to get a good grip but not tight enough to hurt him. He lifted Connor up off the floor, keeping the man steady in his hands. 

Suddenly Hank was overwhelmed with guilt. In the past couple of weeks, both men had been busy with an overwhelming amount of cases at work that took up their whole days and many hours while they were at home. On top of that was the new kitten, they had to make sure he was eating enough, and that he was being active enough, along with going to get him neutered. With everything that was going on, Hank had forgotten to make dinner on multiple occasions. 

He knew how much Connor depended on him, he didn't eat on his own accord, he needed Hank to feed him, and he had failed. Hank let one of his artificial tears fall as he held Connor closer and tighter. He brought Connor to the living room and set him down gently on the couch, able to see Connors ribs clearly due to him not having a shirt on. 

When he stood back up straight, he noticed that Connor was already half asleep and only semi-conscience. He leaned over the human, one hand against the back of the couch. He let his knuckles run down Connors cheek and neck, he opened his palm as it ran down the humans chest, each bone prominent under his hand. He stopped when he got to the man's sunken in stomach, having to focus on holding back his tears, he had to be strong for his ailing friend. 

Hank bought his hand back up Connors body, stopping at his shoulder, shaking him just slightly. “Connor, I'm going to get you a blanket and then made you some soup, you're shaking,” Connors body was in fact trembling, his breathing was still shallow and slow, sounding pained. 

Connor nodded, opening his eyes just a sliver, before closing them again and trying to curl around himself. Hank quickly walked to the hall closet grabbing the biggest and heaviest duvet that they owned. When he came back he saw Richy sitting on Connors' chest, rubbing his head into Connors unresponsive hand. 

Hank smiled lightly, throughout the time that they had had the kitten, he had shown quite a connection to the human, he usually spent the night with them, either laying on top on Connor's chest, right under where Hank's hand usually stayed, or up on Connors pillow, right beside his face. 

He gently moved the cat off of Connors' chest and to the space beside him on the couch, “Sorry Rich, I want him to have the easiest time breathing as possible.” The cat curled up in its new spot, seemingly unbothered by the change in location. Hank tucked Connor in with care. With a lingering glance at the man, he quickly filled Sumo's food bowls and let the large dog outside. 

While he waited for Sumo to do his business, he started a pot of water on the stove, waiting for it to begin boiling. He heard coughing from the living room and ran in to see Connor leaning over the side of the couch, hand over his mouth, coughing harshly into a fist. Hank kneeled down beside him, there if he needed any help. When Connor was done coughing, he tried to lean back into the couch, but due to his failing strength, began to fall forward. 

Hank reacted quickly, putting his hand to Connors chest where Connor reached his own hand around the androids wrist, holding him in place. Hank slowly moved him back down, bring the blanket back up to his chest “Have to try to sweat it out okay, Con?” Connor nodded slightly. Richy clumsily jumped back up on the couch, cuddling into the crook of Connors' neck. 

Hank ran back to the kitchen, opening the back door to let Sumo in. He used the towel by the door to dry off the dog's fur. “Come on, Sumo” he ushered the dog into the living room and had him jump up on the couch at Connors' legs trying to keep him warm. Connors' hand was positioned at his neck, trying to pet the cat, but in his confusion, couldn't reach him with his full hand. 

Connors other hand was rubbing his head and covering his eyes. “Headache?” Hank asked. Connor hummed in response, causing Hank to go over to the light switch, dimming the lights, to the point where you could just barely see the objects in the room, thankfully the clouds kept the sun away. 

Hank went back into the kitchen, poring chicken noodle soup mix into the pot and after a couple minutes it was ready. He put some of the soup into the bowl, bringing it into the living room. He set it down on the coffee table across from the couch and slipped his hand under Connor at the center of his upper back between his shoulder blades. 

“You have to eat some soup Con, you're weak, we need to get you strong again, so we can get you better.” Hank needed to fill the silence, needed to let Connor know he was going to be okay. Connor winced as he took in a breath, he held onto Hanks' shoulder, tears slipping out of his eyes. 

“Okay, H-Hank...I t-t-trust you,” Hank moved Connor up just enough so that he could slip his body in behind him, allowing Connors body to lay back against his chest. He let Conner take a moment to relax, breath still sounding painful. Hank bought his hand to the center to Connor's chest, massaging slightly, trying to lessen the pain with each breath. 

He brought the soup from the coffee table into his opposite hand, then taking the spoon and slowly bring it the warm liquid to Connors' mouth. “What does the pain in your chest feel like?” Hank wanted as much information as possible, hoping to be able to identify, what was hurting the detective. 

Connor took a breath and winced before answering, “It feels...really..sharp I think? L-Like I'm being stabbed.” Connor took the soup he was offered, winching at the pain in this throat when he swallowed. “Some t-times, I f-feel like I c-c-cant catch my b-breath, its l-like I'm running o-out of air.”

Hank brought Connor another spoonful of soup and then brought his hand to his neck, to count his rapid pulse. It was weak but fast at one hundred and thirty beats, it worried Hank especially because Connor wasn't doing any strenuous activity. It should be around sixty to eighty, which Hank knew to be Connors normal resting pulse rate. 

Hank brought a hand to the man's exposed chest, feeling how fast his heart was beating. Connors breathing had slowly begun to increase, his slow, deep breaths had turned into fast and small ones. Hank took a deep breath, cooling all of his biocomponents. The hand on Connors' chest pushed him back slightly so that his whole back was flush to Hanks' chest. 

He brought Connors hand to lay on Richy who stayed protectively at his owner's side, nuzzling into his chest. Hank brought Connors chin straight ahead to keep an eye on the giant dog at the foot of the couch and began to speak in his ear.

“Connor, I know your scared and in a lot of pain, but I need you to try your very best to copy my breathing okay. Nice and slow, calm down you're going to be okay,” Connor was trying to copy his breathing but Hank could tell he was scared and it hurt. Tears began to drip out of Connor's eyes, rolling down his face. Hank did his best to wipe them whenever they fell down his cheeks. 

“In and out Con, you're doing so good, I'm going to take care of you and you're going to be okay,” 

During one of his deep breaths, Connor cried out in pain, clutching his chest so tight that he scratched his skin deep enough to draw blood, “It hurts! Hank it h-hurts, I'm so scared p-please help me!” Hank hushed his cries, holding Connors head tightly to his chest. Suddenly, Hank knew what Connor was suffering from.

“Connor I think you have Pneumonia, it probably hurts when you breathe because of fluid in your lungs, we have to get you to a hospital,” Connor was shaking, sweating and absolutely hysterical but this point. He was sobbing into Hanks' chest, Hank had to hold his arms to stop him from hurting himself. “Connor you have to calm down, it's only going to hurt worse if you cry.”

Connor was sucking in breaths through his cries, only making the pain in his chest hurt ten times more. “NO!” Connor screamed, shocking Hank and the animals around them. “No hospital! Please, Hank, I hate the hospital!” Hank easily lifted Connor from where he was sitting and brought him into his lap. Connor continued to cry and Hank didn't know what to do.

If Connor didn't go to the hospital, there was a very good chance he was going to die, but Hank didn't want to lose Connors trust. Connors cries started to quiet down, hank presumed he was losing strength, and fast. “Connor, please. I can't lose you, I need to take you to a hospital or you could die,”

Connor looked into Hanks' eyes and only saw desperation and fear. He was beginning to lose conscience but knew all the same that he was in grave danger. He nodded his head just slightly, “O-Okay” 

Hank stood from the couch immediately, lifting the semi-conscience man into his arms. He took his jacket from the rack and covered Connor with it. He ran out to the car, setting the man in the back seat and then getting into the driver's seat.

The drive to the hospital was long and terrifying, Connors breathing was almost non-existent and he whimpered with every breath. Hanks didn't even try to stop the tears falling down his face. He was scared, terrified even. What if he waited too long and it was too late to save him? He shook that thought from his mind, trying to not let fear control him. 

He contacted Dr.Warren about Connors condition and was relieved when the man promised to meet them at the hospital. When hank pulled in, he lifted Connor from the back seat and storming into the hospital where Dr.Warren was already pushing a gurney towards the entrance, with a bunch of nurses in his wake.

Hank placed Connor on the gurney and watched as the doctor brought his ear over Connors mouth and nose, “Damn it, Hank, he's barely breathing,” He turned to the nurse on his right. “Give me the BVM and set up a ventilator in room five,” the nurse handed over what looked like a small bag, which Warren put over Connors mouth and nose so he could pump air into the man's lungs. 

With Hanks help, they pushed Connors gurney into a room a couple hallways away, all the while, Warren was forcing Connor to breathe. Hank took a step back once they entered the room and could only watch as Conor was hooked up to a ventilator, an IV to deliver fluids and medicine and a heart monitor. 

“I need to get him on some antibiotics and wait until he is conscience before we put him through a CT scan, but until then the ventilator will be breathing for him.” 

Dr. Warren had calmed down and that made Hank do the same, he was the doctor if anyone knew when to worry it was him. Hank nodded and took a seat in the chair beside the bed, shaking his head. “Is pneumonia always not bad?”

“Never,” 

“What do you mean?”

“I have never seen a case of pneumonia this bad Hank, I have never seen someone so affected by it. However, due to Connors weight and the fact that he was a smoker, it is reasonable that this could happen. Speaking of his weight, he weighs less than last time Hank, how is that even possible?”

Hank bowed his head, the guilt eating him up, “We've been really busy the last few days and we have BOTH forgotten about mealtimes,” Hanks' voice was barely above a whisper. Dr. Warren sighed and brought a hand to his face. He crossed the room and placed a hand on Hanks' shaking shoulder. 

“Look, Hank, I know you really care about him, and that you'd do anything for him. I can see how good you are for him, but you must not let yourself get sidetracked, he is still very sick and very weak. With a lot of problems that need special attention okay?”

Suddenly they heard groaning from the bed, “You fucks talk too loud, my fucking corps would be able to hear you,” Hank and Dr. Warren laughed, happy to hear the Connor was sounding like his old self already. 

 

A couple days in the hospital was all Connor could take, Dr. Warren allowed him to go home, as long as Hank promised to take care of him. He had to make sure Connor was eating well, drinking lots of fluids, and resting most of the day. They were also asked to have Hank in the room at night, making sure Connor was breathing as he slept. Hank had to be watching over him constantly, and Connor was okay with that. 

Being with Hank is one of his favorite activities anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this one isn't as good!! I did looooots of research for this one and I just hope it came together well!!! Please please tell me what you think in the comments !! Have a beautiful day!!
> 
> oh and the next chapter might take a few days because I think it's going to be hella dramatic and hella long so if I don't update tomorrow or the next day that's probably why!


	9. Warehouse

The next four weeks were pretty routine for the most part. Work then home and maybe something fun in between. Connor was getting better and stronger every day, he had gained ten pounds thanks to Hank and his marvelous cooking, and he was more relaxed than he had ever been.

Every day after work, Hank would find some excuse to leave the house for about an hour so Connor could play his guitar and sing in privet. He sometimes played for Hank on their days off or when Hank was in need of some relaxation of his own. Hank had asked multiple times for Connor to sing for him, but the man always refused. Hank had been tempted to sneak home early one day so that he could hear him, but decided against it, knowing it would be a huge invasion of privacy.

Connor hadn't had a seizure or a sleep apnea episode since the first ones Hank had experience and his nightmares had not returned either. Richy slept with them every night, which helped Connor to realize how much he loved being with his furry family members. That then led to Sumo sleeping with them every night at the foot of the bed.

Hank had kept his new found feeling of Connor a secret, he had no idea if the man returned then and didn't know how to ask him. He scoured the internet, trying to find reasons for why he felt this way and what he could do about it. However, the search rendered no results that were helpful to him. Regardless of his confusion regarding his emotions, Hank couldn't be happier.

Everything seemed to be going well for the two men, but as Hank would soon find out, nothing ever goes well for too long.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

On this particular day, Hank and Connor were investigating an abandoned warehouse where someone had called in suspicious activity. “This is stupid,” Connor stated, a hand rubbing his temple as he let out a large sigh. Hank looked over to him from the passenger seat, “How so?” Connor let out a frustrated groan as he looks up at the warehouse in front of them.

“There are so many other things we could be doing right now, we're just going to be here for ten minutes, walk through an old ass building and then come back out and we will have accomplished nothing.”

“Better than doing paperwork though right?”

Connor brought his attention back to the androids face, and let out a light chuckle, “Yeah, I suppose you're right,” He looked back to the dark, concrete structure for a split second, before opening the car door and stepping out into the cool late November air. Hank followed suit, locking the car door before joining the man at the front of the car.

Connor was shaking just slightly, whether from the cold or from nerves, Hank couldn't tell. He brought his hand to the middle of the humans back, trying to comfort while also using his hand to try to press some worth into him. “I’ve got your back Con, we’ll just go in, take a look, and then leave, piece of cake,”

Connor nodded in response, a slight smile on the corner of his mouth, “Thanks,” Hank gave a quick nod. Together, the two men walked towards the building, hands on their holsters, ready in case someone was there to hurt them. They entered the dark building and were immediately met with a flight of stairs to their right.

The warehouse was dark and almost impossible to navigate. I took a moment for Connors' eyes to adjust to the dark room, still not being able to make out finer details of the objects around them. The room was mostly open, a few shelves were toppled over on the floor and there were a few boxes and crates lying around. When Connor looked into the closest one, he noticed that it was empty and guessed that of the others as well.

“I'll check upstairs, you look down here,” Hank didn't like the sounds of that. Connor had already begun to climb the stairs when Hank laid a hand on his arm. “Are you sure that's a good idea?”

“Don't worry Hank, like you said, in and out in ten minutes. I'll meet you at the car, I'll yell if I need help.” Hank could shake the worry rattling around inside him. He wanted to keep Connor in his sights the whole time, but he knew that Connor was capable, he’s the youngest lieutenant in Detroit history, he knew what he was doing.

Hank nodded, trusting Connors judgment. The human shrugged Hanks arm off, putting his hand back on his gun and continuing up the stairs. Hank watched until he was out of sight, monitoring his vital signs until he was out of rage for him to scan. By all of Connor's vitals, he was completely calm, which therefore helped Hank to calm down.

Finally returning his attention to the large open space in front of him, Hank walked into the room quickly scanning the area for any signs of life. He only got minimal readings in return, something was scrambling his sensors, it could be deliberately or just the fact that the building was very dense and the walls too thick. It reminded him of what had happened at the store many weeks ago.

That only made Hank more nervous, remembering what had happened to Connor that day. He tried again to scan the area above him, looking for where Connor was in the floors above. Frustratingly, Connor was still too far away for Hank to get any readings on him. Hank decided to just focus on the task at hand, Connor can hold his own.

Hank slinked around all of the crates, checking them to make sure they were empty. Once the center of the room was clear, he began walking along the walls, checking the small storage or office rooms. By the time he reached the last room, he was fed up with the stupid building and just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.

When he got to the door, he found it to be already ajar. As he was about to push it open he heard a noise from within. He froze in his place, bringing his hand to his waist and bringing out his gun. He tried to scan the room ahead of him but was unable to make a connection due to interference within the building. The shuffling noise from inside quieted down before picking back up again.

In a way Hank was relieved, whoever was in here was down there with him and not up with Connor on the upper floor. He almost smiled, knowing Connor was likely not in any immediate danger. He felt very little fear about having to deal with the suspicions suspect that had been reported.

Hank took in a deep breath, cooling down his systems. He brought his foot up, slamming the door open, “Detroit Police, down to the ground!” Hank widened his stance, ready for a fight if one was brought to him. He looked around and didn't see anyone in the room. He knotted his brows together, letting his gun fall down and point at the floor. He felt something run past his feet, when he looked down, he saw the furry body of a full grown raccoon.

“Well fuck,” The android whispered, watching as the animal ran around the warehouse floor, squealing and squeaking. It exited the building through the same door that Hank and Connor had entered through. Shaking his head, he slipped the gun back in its holster, making his way towards the stairs. “Connor! Its clean down here, you alright up there!?”

Hearing no reply, Hank made his way up the stairs, grumbling about stupid buildings with stupidly thick walls. He looked through the first floor and found nothing, all doors already having been opened, probably by Connor himself. He continued to the next and found the same thing.

“Connor?” Hank was beginning to worry, where was the man? Hank decided to head to the roof, Connor did say after ten minutes they would return to the car. If hank got to the roof, he would be able to see the car and see if Connor was there. He jogged up the next couple flights of stairs, still no sign of Connor. Hank opened the door to the rooftop and ran to the edge He looked around and saw the car to the right of his vision, but no Connor.

“CONNOR!!” Hank screamed as loud as he could, tears starting to sting his eyes. He dashed back through the door, running through the whole building again and again and again. He screamed Connors name over and over. He let tears freely fall down his face, unable to stop the constant stream.

He ran into the parking lot for the third time trying to scan the building from the outside to find any sign of life. He was in the middle of his scan which once again pulled up nothing when he received a cybernetic call. It was from Fowler and he answered immediately.

“ _Hank, where the fuck have you been?! We've been trying to contact you for the better part of an hour!! You need to get back to the precinct right now!!_ ”

“Captain, I can't find Connor!! We were searching the building, he went up-”

“ _That's why I need you to get back right now!_ ”

“What do you mean?”

“ _Just get here now_!”

Hank didn't waste any time, he ran back to Connor's car, shoving the key in the ignition. He pulled out of the parking lot, not even bothering to put on his seat belt on. He was terrified, what happened to his best friend?

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hank pulled into the precinct parking lot, unknowingly parking in two spots, but at the time he really didn't care. He ran into the receptionist area not bothering to wave or nod at the receptionist as he usually did.

As he passed by the desks as thousands of thoughts started running through his head. Connor could be hurt, bleeding but not letting them take him to a hospital, as he tended to do. He could have just had a seizure and no one knew what to do. He could be having a break down for whatever reason and needed Hank to be there with him.

When hank rushed into the bullpen, the sight before him was worse than he would have every thought.

Connor was _nowhere_.

Everyone in the bullpen with turned to the disheveled android. They all shared secret glances, their eyes softening towards him. “What's going on?” The android whispered, tears falling down his face once again. The clear door to Fowler's office opened and Hank snapped his head over, “Come on, Hank”

Hank was frozen to his spot, fear taking over every one of his circuits. He was paralyzed with fear, unable to move. He felt a hand to his back when he turned, he saw Gavin with his head to the floor, helping to push the scared android towards the office door. For Gavin to show such compassion and kindness was extremely uncharacteristic, especially because he didn't even refer to him as 'tincan'.

When Hank stood in front of Fowler, Gavin still at his side, he tried to wipe the tears away, “Thank you, Reed, dismissed,” Gavin nodded retreating to his desk. Fowler put his own hand on top of Hanks' shoulder guiding him into the room.

On top of Fowler's desk, was a small box about half the size of a shoe box. It had no writing on it and it was currently open, but Hank couldn't see inside of it. He walked his way over to the box, he didn't want to get close enough to ruin any potential evidence. This seemed like something really important, and Hank was afraid of what it might hold.

“You can touch it, Hank, it's been dusted and tested in every way possible. It's only been handled by androids, so no fingerprint contamination.” Fowlers' voice was soft, unlike his usual gruff and rough voice.

With Fowler at the far side of the office, Hank approached the box. As much as he is terrified to open it, he absolutely needed to know what was in the box. He got close enough to peer over and side the box. He felt his heart drop.

Sitting in the box, was a police badge, but not just any police badge. On the top was the word ‘lieutenant’ and on the bottom of the custom made badge, was the inscription ‘316’ to signify the officer by their badge number. Hanks breathing stopped, he saw that bag every single day, 316 was Connors badge number.

Hank let a small sob past his lips, curling in on himself. Fowler grabbed his shoulders guiding him to sit in the chair. Fowler circled the desk and sat in his own chair.

“What is going on Fowler? W-Where is he?”

“I don't know Hank, but that's not it. There was something else in the box.”

Fowler pulled a USB out of his desk drawer, and placed it on the top of the desk “This box arrived about thirty minutes before you did, it was left by the side door. However, somehow the person who placed it was able to keep their faces out of the range of the security cameras.”

Hanks eyes never left the USB that was still sitting on the desk and Fowler knew what he wanted. He grabbed the USB and plugged it into his terminal, “Hank you don't have to watch it, it's quite graphic,” Hank took a moment to prepare himself. When he turned his head back to Fowler his face was stoic, almost like it was before he deviated. The only evidence on his face that he had an emotional turmoil was the tears that were now drying on his face.

“Is it a ransom?”

“No, more like a sick bastard with a bone to pick,”

“Is he alive?”

“As far as we know, yes”

“Do you have a location on him,”

“Not yet but we're trying”

Hank took a moment to think, knowing that matter how much he waited, he would probably never be ready for what he was about to see. Hank looked to Fowler and gave a nod of his head. The captain held eye contact with the android, before shaking his head and rubbing his temples.

“Hank I really don't know if that's a good id-” Hank held up a hand interrupting his superior. “I need to see it if I hold any chance of finding out who is behind this. I have to find Connor. He is not only my partner but also my friend. Captain, I have to solve this.” the desperation in Hanks' voice surprised the captain, he had no idea androids could hold such strong emotions.

Fowler nodded, respecting Hanks request. He sighed, before turning the terminal around to face Hank, starting the video. Hank tried to harden his heart and tried to focus on the facts, but as soon as the video started, he knew that would be nearly impossible.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connor groaned as the world around him started to fade into view. His head was pounding, it felt like he had gotten smashed in the back of the head with a train. He tried to move his arms up to his face, but he found his arms restricted. When he looked down, he noticed that his arms and legs were tied to the wooden chair he was sat on.

Panic filled his body, his face scrunching up with fear. The man tried to look where he was but noticed a bright light right in front of him, blinding him to everything in front of him and gave him very slight visibility on either side. He spun around as far as his neck could go, from behind him it looked to be a basement.

His breathing started to pick up, fear rattling his every nerve. He spun his head around again, trying to find any signs of Hank. “Hank?” He whispered out, hoping that somehow his android companion would be able to hear him.

Suddenly, a hooded figure appeared from behind him, placing his hand on the man's shoulder. Connor let out an involuntary shout in fear at suddenly having someone so close to him.

“Hank? So that's what you call him, the notorious RK800, and you call him Hank? Pathetic.” Connor took the time to try to memorize everything he could about the man, knowing that would be the only way to put him behind bars when he got out of this. _If_ he got out of this that is.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot to memorize. The man was wearing a dark gray hoodie and, from what Connor could see, a pair of faded blue jeans. He tried to look at his face, as the man crossed to be in front of him, but it was covered. Where a person's face would normally be, was a back mesh covering, making it look like just a black hole inside the hood.

Connor thought for a moment trying to steady his features not letting the man know how afraid he truly was. “Why the fuck am I here?” He yelled, trying to show anger on his face. The man chuckled darkly, bringing his hand up to the side of Connor's face, stroking his cheeks. Connor tried his best to turn his face away from the hand but couldn't do much due to his limited movement. “I'll admit, Lieutenant Anderson, you are quite an attractive one,” He brought his hooded head close enough to Connors that he could feel his breath pouring over his skin. Connor snapped his head away even farther.

“Don't fucking touch me!” He screamed his features showing pure disgust. The man's hand stilled, it almost seems like he was shocked. The hand balled into a fist, and before Connor knew what had happened, he had been struck across the face quite harshly. He whimpered in pain, wishing he could bring his hand up to holding his pained face.

He brought his face back up to look at the man, he felt something warm dripping down his face, when it reached his lip, he realized it was blood that must be dripping out of his nose. He watched as the man grabbed a pipe that had been laying on the floor nearby, he walked around with it almost like a cane.

He came to Connors right side, but the detective couldn't tell exactly where he was looking. Suddenly he brought the pipe up like a baseball player would a bat, and slammed it into Connors' ribs. The man let out a loud cry pain, tears instantly springing to his eyes and flowing down his cheeks instantly. He was struck two more times by the metal pipe, having the air knocked out of his lungs.

Connor was struggling to breathe, trying to take in air around his sobs and the pain located in his chest. He looked to the hooded figure, looking once again for any defining features but finding none. “What do you want from me?!” He cried. The suddenly walked to the left side, harshly slapping Connor across the face. He whimpered again, deciding to keep his head down to try to avoid any further abuse.

Suddenly the figure turned, facing the light that had been blinding Connor since he awoke. He grabbed onto Connors hair tugging up harshly, exposing his neck and making him grunt in pain.

“This is who you fuckers employ? This weak little boy?!” The man pulled up Connors shirt, exposing the man's chest and stomach, an image that Connor already knew all too well. His skin stretched across his ribs, showing every bone in his chest. The sunken in stomach, slightly more filled out than it had been, thanks to Hank feeding him real food on a regular basis. Connor could only imagine the bruises, stretching across his abdomen, black blue and purple across his white skin.

“Seven fucking times and you pick this alcoholic piece of shit over me?!” Connor looked at the light in which the figure was talking too, he was so utterly confused. Who was he talking too? Employ? Was he...recording this? Connor realized that must be what he's doing, maybe it was a live feed going straight to the precinct. Connor looked around, hoping to get some type of detail that he could give, to alert them to his location.

He couldn't see anything from where the man was holding his head. He wanted so desperately to give some type of idea on how to find him, but then a thought came across his mind. Who knows if this guy acted alone, or if he had people just waiting for the rescue team, so they could hurt them. This guy sounds crazy enough, it's not that far fetched.

Connor was suddenly overwhelmed with the instinct to protect his friends, his co-workers, Hank. He pulled his hair out of the hand of his chapter, an looked right into the light that blinded him. “Don't come to get me! He's crazy! He’ll hurt you!” He screamed until he felt something stab into his side. He cried out in pain, feeling blood pour out of his side. The man had taken a small knife from up his sleeve and plunged into the side of his abdomen.

A punch was landed into the middle of his face, making a new stream of blood fall from his nose. Another to his left eye, creating a small cut underneath it. “You don't fucking speak unless I say so!” The man grabbed the pipe once again and walked around the chair that Connor was tied to. He made a few trips around the chair, coming to a stop in front of and slightly to the right side of Connors body.

“You're About to see what happens when you make me angry,” Connor looked up to the hood, eyes full of fear. The man brought the pipe back again, bringing it down with more force than ever, slamming it into Connors' knee. Connor screamed in a way that he had never heard himself scream. A sound that he didn't know he could make. The man couldn’t catch his breath, his ribs still hurt from his previous beating and the pain made it impossible to calm down and slow his breathing.

When Connor looked down, he was mortified. Blood was pooling out of his knee and to the floor around him, creating a growing puddle under his leg. The knee itself was twisted and pointed in the wrong direction. The sight made Connor want to vomit. He was beginning to feel woozy from the blood loss and his head was beginning to swim.

He looked up and saw the man, with the pipe over his head, and could only beg as he saw it coming down read to strike him. “No….please,” The pipe made contact with Connors' head, rendering him unconscious instantly. Blood began to pour from his head, all over his body and down to the floor under him.

The figure stood in front of the camera, his face out of his frame so only his chest was visible. He spoke quietly and purposely, “You know, I have some friends who would love his sassy temperament, his small body too. I bet you he would make a good pet for someone,” The man chuckled darkly, his voice deep and rough. “He's going to pull me a pretty penny,”

Then, nothing.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hanks' head sat on top of his balled fists on the desk. He tried his best but could not hold in the quiet sobs that tore through his mouth. Tears were falling down his face in a constant stream, Hank not even attempting to stop them.

“Hank, I’m sor-” Hank stood from his chair, his mind set on only one goal.

“I’m guessing that you've already checked the resumes sent in around the time that you hired Connor. Specifically, ones that had been sent in multiple times,” Fowler looked confused, his eyebrows knitted together.

“What do you mean, Hank?”

“Didn't you hear what he said?” Now Hank was confused, had Fowler actually missed something so important?

“What he was saying was a bunch of crazy nonsense Hank,”

“No, no it wasn't he said, and I quote, ‘This is who you fuckers employ?’ ‘Seven fucking times and you pick this alcoholic piece of shit over me?’ Don't you see it?! He is sending this video to Connors place of work, and then he talks about Connor being picked over him. He said seven times which I can only imagine is an indication of how many times he must have applied to this job. He said that we picked Connor over him! That must mean that Connor got the job and he didn't.”

Fowler was stunned, it all made sense, how did he not see it?

“When he saw Connor progressing so well and then becoming Detroit's youngest lieutenant must have only made him angrier,” Hank though for a moment trying to think of recent events that would have sent the man off. “Oh! And recently, Connor got partnered with me! Making him the first detective to have an android partner! So many things that Connor was the first to experience must have filled him with jealousy and drove him to this!!”

Fowler was still stunned, hank was pacing around the room, tears now dried on his cheeks, as he tried to focus on any possible information that could help them. “Captain, was there anyone who was trying to get the job at the same time that Connor did? A group of people who you were considering for the job, but ended up picking Connor? Fowler, please! You must remember something!!”

Fowler thought for a moment before turning on his terminal and typing a couple of things in, Hank ran around the deck to join him on the other side, looking at the terminal screen. After a minute, the man pointed to the screen, “At the time that we hired Connor, there were twenty other people who were trying for the job, but get this, one person, in particular, sent his resume in seven times,”

Hank read the name that Fowler was pointing to, “Kyle Alves,” Hank read aloud. Connor scrolled down the page a bit, “After he didn't get the job, he was charged with various violent crimes, battery, assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, and other smaller crimes.”

Fowler continued, “And check this out, he had been seen going into that warehouse multiple times throughout the years, staying there for hours and then leaving. If he had been trying to get a job here, that would explain how he knew where all the cameras were and how to hide from them! Hank, I think this is it, this could be a very viable lead.”

Hank nodded, agreeing with the man beside him, “Where does he live?” Fowler turned back to the monitor, scrolling through the man's criminal profile. “Only two blocks away from the warehouse, that would explain how he would have enough time to take Connor, make the video and send it to us.”

Hank quickly jogged over to the door, holding the handle and looking back to Fowler, “We have to go check this out!” Fowler nodded in agreeance, standing from his chair, “Ill gather a team.”

Hank excitedly turned back to the door so he could yank it open, but saw a sad looking detective Reed through the glass. Hanks' heart sank with the look on Gavin's face and when he looked down the box that he was holding in his gloved hands. Hank could wear that his thirum pump stopped.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This USB was different from the last, it was only one minute long and it said that it was a video clip. However, when it was opened, only a black screen would come up. Hank had thought that maybe the suspect had done it wrong and the file had been corrupted or something.

However, when they turned up the volume, they knew exactly why they had been sent the odd USB. On the file, all that could be heard were screams. Connors screams. They could hear dozens of blows landing on a body and every time a blow would and Connors screams would get louder.

The longer they listened, the quieter Connors screams became. It sounded like he was losing strength, Hank knew Connor must be trying his best like he always did. It must be so hard, and scary. Hank started to sob when one particular hit made Connor whimper just slight and whisper in the smallest breath.

“H-Hank...p-please d-d-don't hurt him, you p-promised, you w-wouldn't hurt h-him.” Hank wanted to throw up, ultimately he didn't know if that possible. Whatever sick human being was doing this, was using Hank to torcher the poor man.

Soon, there was actually a picture on the screen, it seemed like a light behind the camera was showing the floor of whatever building it was being taken in. The camera, with the light, started moving forward. Connors cries became louder the more the camera moved. Hank could only watch as the body of his dearest friend was shown, laying on the floor on his side.

Blood surrounded Connors body, making his shirt stick to his skin. Both knees were now bloodied and pointing in unnatural directions. The camera was placed on the floor, in front of Connor's face. Hank almost had turn away at the sight. Connors' face was so bloody that there was almost no spot where you could see his natural skin color. His whole body was trembling, shaking, in pain or in fear, Hank couldn't be sure.

His brown eyes that were once, soft and full of life, the eyes that loved to look into every day, were so different. The left was swollen shut, more than likely from one of the punches they had witnessed. The right was barely open, Conor was weak and fading fast, from what Hank could see, however, a blood vessel hand popped, making the whites around his eyes a dark red, Connor looked like he was already dead.

He had small cuts all over his face, all leaking blood. The biggest was a slash right through his eyes brow and up his forehead. Connors' hair was covered with blood, making it seem slightly damp in the light of the camera.

Once Connor realized that he yet again had the camera in his face, he tried to crawl towards it. Only for his body to protest in pain, making him cry out in pain again. He reached out his hand, trying to get to the camera but it was just barely out of his reach.

“H-Hank….I l-lov-”

The video went dark before Connor cold finish his sentence.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hank was full out sobbing now, Connor looked so scared and he was in so much pain, but there was nothing Hank could do to save him. Hank felt a heavy hand fall onto his shoulder. He looked up to Fowler with tears running down his face. “Come on, Hank lets go get him,” Hank sprung up, running towards the door just as fast as Fowler.

As they ran into the bullpen and to the back door, “Reed, Chen, Miller, you and your partners come with us!” Together everyone ran out and to their cars heading to the address.

Hank was tired of waiting, they had been staking out the pace, waiting for any movement and any sign the missing officer. He was too far away to scan the house for sources of life but he was growing impatient. He was standing his post, behind his car with the gun pointed towards the front door, ready in case the suspect was to make an appearance.

“Fowler we can't wait any fucking longer, he could be dying right now and were just fucking sitting here!”

“I know, I know Hank, we just had to wait for the SWAT team and they just showed up.”

Large armored trucks pulled up on the street, spilling dozens of heavy armored men out of them. Hank let out a deep breath and got into position, ready to raid the house with everyone else. Sooner rather than later all of the SWAT members rushed the knocking down all the doors and rushing to the upper and lower floors of the house. Once the had cleared the first floor of the house, Hank rushed in.

He noticed the whole house was run down, broken bottles everywhere. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months. The wallpaper down the hallway was ripped and shredded, almost as if a dog had been jumping on it for quite some time. Hank was about to venture farther into the house until he heard a noise from the door behind him. “We found him!” Hank rushed to the door pushing past Fowler, “Hank! No!” Hank just barely escaped the hand on his shoulder.

He raced down the stairs almost tripping over himself and falling down the last four steps. Hank rushed into the room and saw four SWAT members rustling a guy on the floor, he looked around the floor and saw what he was looking for. Connors body was in the same position as it was in the last video, on his side in a pool of his own blood.

His back was facing Hank and the android almost didn't want to see the damage done to his best friend. He remembered Connor being stabbed with the small knife on the video. He could see from this distance that there was a hole in the shirt he was wearing and blood pouring out of his side. Hank shook off the nerves, Connor needed him right now, and Hank was going to be there for him.

Hank ran over just as the paramedics were making their way into the basement, kneeling in front of his partner. Connors' eyes were closed and his breathing was so shallow, Hank had to pause a moment to e sure he was indeed taking in oxygen. “Connor! Connor! Oh my god, Connor look at me please open your eyes!” Connor was no longer conscience, deaf to Hanks cries. Hank was in too much emotional distress to run a scan over Connors body, but he didn't have to run a scan, to know that Connor was severely injured.

Hank was horrified, this was his worst nightmare, Connor being injured and Hank feeling powerless, being powerless. Hank continued to plea for Connor to wake up, his heart almost stopped when Connors one good eye fluttered open. “H-H-Han-nk?”

“Oh my god Connor, I'm here! Stay with me please!” The paramedics started to surround Connor blocking his view of Hank, However Hanks hand in his own was enough to keep him calm. ”Connor I’m here please don't leave me,” Hanks' voice was cracking as his pleas became more deperate and fearful.

The paramedics, two androids and two humans were attaching all sorts of machines to the man on the floor and Hank had to look away to stop himself from sobbing. He felt Connors' hand tighten just slightly in his own. He turned back and saw a soft smile on Connors' face.

“H-Hank I d-d-d-don't know if I’m g-going to m-m-make it,”

“Don't think like that Con, you're going to be just fine, They're going to take care of you, I am going to care of you, Con I promise. We're going to go home and see Sumo and Richy and everything is going to be okay! I promise! You'll be okay!”

“A-And if I d-d-don't, I want you to k-know that I-I r-r-really…. l-like you,” Hank felt like it was only those two in the whole room, no one else could hear them, this moment was for them and them alone. He couldnt describe what it felt like to finaly know that Connor felt the same way as he did. He was so happy to know that Connor loved him, but he was petrified that he was going to lose the man at the same time.“I really really like you too Connor,” Hank reached out a hand to stroke Connors bloody and bruised face.

Connors' eyes started to close, he was falling asleep and he couldn't do anything to stop it, “Connor no, no no no Connor please, please stay awake Connor! Connor!” Hank was panicking, trying to get closer to Connor, to help him hold on. The paramedics wouldn't let him get any closer as they needed all the space they could get to work on saving Connors life. They transported Connor to a gurney and began to roll him away.

Connors' hand slipped out of Hanks as the last of his conscience faded from him, leaving him weak and vulnerable once again. Hank tried to follow him but was stopped by Fowler. He put his hands on Hanks' shoulders, to keep him on the floor. “You have to let them take care of him, Hank, we can go see him when he recovers.”

Hank started to cry. Not just cry, Hank was screaming and shaking, in a way, Fowler had never seen another android do. Hank didn't know how long he cried for, only that by the time he was done, everyone had left and now it was Hanks turn to head up the stairs and make the dreaded trip to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked realllly hard on this one and I hope it shows!! I ended up splitting it up a bit hope you don't mind!! It would really realllllly help me if you guys were to tell me what you think of this so far! All of your comments really help me to write and to be confident in my writing! Thanks for reading !!
> 
> Hope you have a good day!


	10. The Hospital

The hospital waiting room was empty, except for the traumatized android pacing the length of the room. It had been two hours since Connor had been brought here, and no one had come out to give him any information. Fowler and the other officers had left about twenty minutes ago, telling Hank to let them know when he knew of Connors condition.

 

Hank was trying his very best to keep calm and think positive, but it was turning out to be a very difficult thing to do. He could help but think about all the damage that Connor had received while he was trapped in that horrid basement. Connors blood was still all over his clothes but thankfully, the nurses had given him some scrubs to wear and had given him some antiseptic wipes to help clean his artificial skin.

 

Hank kept replaying the sounds of Connor screaming and crying as he was hit over and over again. Unknowingly, Hank let more tears slip down his face. He couldn't stop thinking about each and every way he could have prevented this from happening. He shouldn't have let Connor got to the upper floors by himself he should have been faster searching the downstairs so he could get to Connor faster.

 

He should have figured out the clues faster, so they could get to him sooner and maybe prevent him from further injury. Hank felt his stomach twisting in disgust when he thought about what the criminal had said about his best friend.

 

“ _I’ll admit Lieutenant Anderson, you are quite an attractive one.”_

_“You know, I have some friends who would love his sassy temperament, his small body too. I bet you he would make a good pet for someone,”_

_“He’s going to pull me a pretty penny”_

 

Hank couldn't stop the words from running around his head, spinning around and around, taunting him. If they hadn't gotten to Connor in time, he could have been sold to be someones filthy sex slave and Hank would have never been able to see him again.

 

Also with Connors persistent health problems, he could have been dead within a couple weeks. If Connor had a seizure _today_ there was a good chance he could have been killed, either from the stress on his body or from anything his head could have been hit on. The seizure would Connor ten times more vulnerable and weak than he already was, it might have prevented him from being able to pull through his injuries.

 

Hank couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened, and what did happen. He was driving himself crazy and knew he had to stop. The android stopped pacing in the middle of the room. He though for a moment, slowly taking a seat in the chairs bind him. He had to be strong, strong for Connor. The man needed him right now and Hank had to keep his mind clear.

 

It was about another hour before a pretty blond woman in green scrubs made her way into the waiting room. Hank recognized her as the woman who gave him his own pair of purple scrubs. He stood u from his chair, slowly scared of the news he was about to hear.

 

“Hello Hank, I’m pleased to tell you that Connor did, in fact, pull through.” Hank felt his face turn into a large smile, unable to stop the excitement trying to burst out of his chest.

 

“I must inform you though Hank, his injuries are pretty bad. He had many bruised ribs, one was cracked slightly, which did create a small puncture in his lung, it was easily repaired, however. The stab wound in his side was lucky, not deep enough to cause any real damage. The hits to his head are what we are really concerned with,”

 

Hank felt his heart sank, this was it. She was going to tell him that Connor wasn't going to recover. Hank tried to prepare himself, tried to prepare for his heart to actually break. For it to be ripped out and torn to shreds. Hank could already feel that the smile had been wiped off his face, replaces with a frown. His browns followed, furrowing with worry. He felt the tears welling up in his eyes, already about to fall.

 

“The repeated blows to the head did result in a severe traumatic brain injury. I have no idea how he was able to talk to you in the basement when he was found, everything we have seen shows that there should have been no way for him to be awake, let alone talking. He did have a seizure when he arrived, I have been told that he has a history of those. We were able to get him stable though so there was no trouble to stem from it.”

 

Hank could only imagine Connors body, shaking in the hands of the doctors and Hak wanted nothing more, than to go back in time so that he could be with Connor while he was suffering.  

 

“There is some bleeding in his brain, and due to that we, unfortunately, had to put him into a medically induced coma. His brain desperately needed time to repair itself from the damage that he had suffered. His brain has a lot of swelling that we are hoping will heal while he is in it. At this time all we can do is monitor him and hope that he is strong enough to heal and then hopefully come out of the coma.”

 

Hank allowed the tears to fall down his cheeks, he wanted to go see Connor. Tell him how much he loved him. The androids had realized since the course that Connor had been missing, he couldn't live without the man. He never wanted to imagine a life where he couldn't see him every day.

 

“W-What are the chances that h-he’ll make it?”

 

“There is a good chance. However he is going to need a lot of attention until he awakes and even afterward too, he's gonna have a rough couple months.”

 

“Is there any permanent d-damage?”

 

“We won't know for sure until he wakes up, but some possible repercussions are memory loss, possible paralyzation, confusion, also it could worsen his seizures, or there could be nothing like I said, we won't know until he wakes up,”

 

Hank tried his best to contain his sobs, sadness tearing him apart from the inside.

 

“Can I please go see him?” The nurse nodded, gesturing for Hank to follow her down the corridors of the hallway. She brought Hank to a door at the far end of the second hallway they entered. She nodded to the door and then left, giving Hank some privacy. Hank took a moment, trying to calm his nerves. He opened the door slowly and wanted to step out as soon as he saw the state Connor was in.

 

He looked so small and vulnerable in the bed, hooked up to many machines. There were so many tubes connecting to his arms, ones for blood, nutrients, pain medicine and whatever else. His skin was so pale, the blood was all clean off of him, showing the color of the bruises all over his face. Mostly purple and blue, there was a large cut under his eye that had a couple of stitches, keeping the wound closed. One of his eyes was swollen shut, and the other had a dark bruise surrounding it.

 

There was a couple cuts on Connors lips, which were surrounding a large tube that went down his throat. The beeping in the room was enough to drive /hank crazy as he took slow steps to Connors unconscious body, completely unaware of the androids presence. Apart of Connors' chest was bandaged, the pristine bandaged wrapped around his upper chest. Probably from the surgery to repair the damaged lung and rib. The other side of his chest, a bit lower than the other bandaged, was a patch of a bandage with a red dot of blood in the middle, from the small stab wound he received.

 

Connors legs were both in casts, from mid-shin to mid-thigh, probably from the bat twisting and breaking his knees. The wraps around them were bright green, Hank knew green to be the man's favorite color and was happy to know that it would be a small positive in Connors condition. There were a couple slash marks on the parts on Connors legs and feet that Connor could see, nothing major, but it still hurt the android to see.

 

When Hank looked back up to Connor's face, he noticed the neck brace, and with a brief scan, showing no broken bones in his neck, he realized that it must be used to keep Connors head and neck stable. Hank continued his scan to Connors' brain and was happy to see that there was in fact brain activity. He continued to scan his body, only getting minimal readings due to him being built for detective work and not medical.

 

He slowly took a seat in the chair next to Connors bed, bringing his hand into Connors' hair to brush through the incredible soft curls that sat there. He sat his other hand on the top of the man's arm, rubbing small circles into the skin there. He let another tear fall from his eyes, taking in the sight of his frail partner.

 

A couple hours later, the doctor came in, making a few notes on his clipboard and then Connor charts. “Visiting hours are almost over Hank,’ The doctor spoke lightly, trying to be polite while talking Hank he had to leave at the same time. The android looked to the doctor, his eyes pleading.

 

“Please let me stay, I won't be a bother, I swear.” He looked back to the man on the bed, unable to breathe on his own, a machine forcing him to breath small breaths as to not cause complications with his healing lungs. “I don't want him to wake up without me here.”

 

The doctor sighed and shook his head lightly, “I don't want to think he going to wake up any time soon hank, I think you're good for tonight.” The doctor placed his hand on the androids shoulder, causing Hanks head to turn to him again. “I don't want to take a chance, please doctor, I don't want to leave him all alone.”

 

The doctor took a moment to think, he looked over to the man on the bed and then back to the android that was already looking up at him. He let out a small nod, his mouth twitching into a smile. “Okay, you can stay, I imagine you'll be helpful when he wakes up anyways, maybe help to keep him calm.’ Hank nodded, turning back to his partner, listening to the doctor, open the door and leave the room.

 

The next few days were a fury of changing the cast. The different detectives for the precinct coming in visiting the injured Lieutenant and keep Hank company. He had asked for Chris to go to the house and take care of Sumo and Richy until Connor was well again. The man happily agreed, happy to help the men in any way they could. Surprisingly, even Gavin made an appearance. He brought flowers, insisting they were from his girlfriend, but Hank knew that Gavin did not have a girlfriend of any sort.

 

He didn't push the issue, knowing that Gavi might be embarrassed to have other people know how much he cared about the fellow officer that he had been tormenting for years. Gavin also brought Hanks Detroit Police Department sweater. It was a dark gray hoodie with ‘DPD’ in black bold lettering on the chest. Hank was thankful that his body did not sweat or anything similar, making it unnecessary for him to need a change of clothes, however, having a different top to wear was nice.

 

However, Hank and Connor always stayed the same. Hank, being loyal as ever at Connors bedside, never leaving unless it was completely necessary. Part of him was afraid that if he left for even a second, Connor would take a turn for the worse, and Hank wouldn't be there for him. Another part of him was afraid that if Connor woke up, he would be terrified without Hank there to calm him. If Connor were to succumb to his injuries, and Hank wasn't there for any amount of time, it would crush him to know that he did not spend every single second that he could with the human.

 

After everyone had left on the fourth day, Hank was once again left alone with Connor. Hank was laying his forehead down on Connors' forearm, drinking in the heat of skin, waiting for the doctor to bring him any news. About ten minutes later, the doctor came in with his clipboard in hand as always. He made a couple of notes and then marked a few things on the charts.

 

“How's he doing today Doc?” The middle age man gave, the android a light smile,

 

“Very well actually, I think he may be able to wake up in a day or so, he is improving quite well. The swelling in his brain seems to be gone for the most part, so I think, tomorrow morning we are going to be slowly taking him off the drug that we used for his coma, and then it will be up to him when he wakes up.”

 

Hanks grin had slowly turned into a full blow smile showing his perfectly straight teeth.

 

“You should try talking to him, he might be able to hear you.”

 

Hank smiled at that, hopefully, Connor had been able to hear the whole time. He would have loved to know that everyone had come to see him every day and even Gavin had been overly nice since he'd been there. Hank though Connor would like to know that. Of course, Hank talked to Connor every day, even when he wasn't sure that Connor could hear him. I made him feel better, being able to converse with Connor lifted a weight off his shoulders.

 

At first, he would be sad when he realized that Connor couldn't reply, but as the days wore on, he found that he was able to talk enough to fill the void. Sooner rather than later, the doctor left the room, leaving the two men alone. Hank rough his hand to Connors' head and set about ruffling through the wild curls.

 

He looked down Connor body, to his recently re-wrapped ribs, below that was his small stomach. Connor had gained another seven pounds since he had been in the hospital. However, the weight mostly went to his nimble arms, leaving him with his slightly sunken in stomach. Not that Hank minded, he knew he could get Connor to a healthy weight again, it would just take a little time.

 

Hank set his other arm down to rub Connors own forearm, leaning forward and laying his head against the railing of the bed. He noticed that his body power had dropped below ten percent, sending him into low power mode, turning off his more complicated systems such as his scanner and self-analysis program. Hank hadn’t slept in the days that Connor had been admitted, thankfully there wasn't a whole lot of moving around going on so Hank had actually lasted a lot longer than he had anticipated.

 

Hank looked to Connor's face, pleased to notice that the bruises on his face were slowly receding, during much lighter and less intense shades of blue back and purple. He still looked stunning to Hank, though. The android could deny how attracted he was to Connor. Those deep brown eyes that just seemed to bleed calmness and comfort, the soft smile he wore more and more these days, made Hanks smile grow every time he saw it. The man's soft skin and soft hair were one of Hanks favorite things to touch, everything about Connor made Hank calmer.

 

“You hear that Con? The doctor said they are going to take you off the medicine tomorrow. You might get to wake up tomorrow, I really hope so, we have a lot to talk about. I can't wait until you are well again, I'm going to take good care of you until you are big and strong. You're in good hands Connor, I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again.”

 

Hank wiped away the small tear that threatened to fall down his face, he wasn't exactly sad, the emotions he had felt over the past few days had taken their toll, he was emotionally exhausted. Suddenly, Hank heard a noise behind him, he looked back and saw the door open the doctor walked in, looking quite excited.

 

“Change of pans Hank, we’re going to stop the medicine tonight and he should be awake by noon tomorrow,” Hank couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face, getting to see Connor awake and moving was the most amazing thing he could ask for. “What's with the change of heart?” Hank asked, lifting his head from the bed.

 

The doctor shrugged, making his way over to Connors bedside. He took the bag of medicine off of the rack beside the bed and changing it out for some more nutrients to be entered into Connors system. “Why not? He's out of danger for the most part, and it's very important that we find out any damage to his body and mind.”

 

Hank lifted his head from the bed and looked at the doctor with a grim look on his face. The doctor hung his head low as he looked at Hank, finally finished with changing the medicine bags around. He sighed as he let a hand fall to the androids shoulder.

 

“I know we've talked about this Hank, but I must tell you again. Along with the chance of physical impairment, there is a chance he will not remember who you are, you have been so recently in his life and take up such a small portion of his memory that it could have been disturbed by the attack. You must prepare yourself, Hank, it could be very difficult.”

 

Hank nodded, looking back to Connors unconscious face. He had thought about it a lot since he first found out what could come from a traumatic brain injury as the one Connor had received. He had decided that regardless of the outcome, he was going to stick around no matter what. He was going to help Connor through whatever was going to come their way.

 

“I understand doctor, I'm ready, and I will see him through this no matter what.” The doctor smile proudly, happy about Hanks determination to help. He headed towards the door again, looking back to Hank before he left the room, “Just be ready Hank,” He left the room, closing the door lightly behind him.

 

Hank kept his eyes on Connor, not being able to help the worry that seemed to cover him from head to toe. What would he do if Connor forgot him? No, he couldn't think like that, Connor was going to be okay, he had to be.

 

The night wore on as Hank's power was dwindling, he was in great need of sleep, he tried his hardest to fight it, he wanted to be one hundred percent sure that he would be awake when Connor awoke, but soon enough, he realized it was out of his hands.

 

He sipped one hand into Connors, squeezing slightly. He rested his hand on the other forearm. He slowly drifted to sleep feeling the comfort of Connors warm body so close to him, was enough to help him know that he was safe.

  


One at a time Hank systems came back online. Much to his dismay, his optical units were always the last to reboot. He realized that his power was back up to one hundred percent. Soon enough, his auditory units returned to full power. He heard a noise, and what a delightful noise it was.

 

_"Wise men say,_

_Only fools rush in,_

_But I can’t help falling in love with you,_

_Shall I stay?_

_Would it be a sin,_

_If I can’t help falling in love with you?_

 

_Like a river flows surely to the sea,_

_Darling, so it goes,_

_Somethings were meant to be"_

 

Hank felt a hand brush across his face, his sensors tingling under where he had been touched. It felt so warm, so comforting. He knew that voice, the voice he loved hearing day in and day out. He tried to rush his processors to hurry and reboot but he couldn't rush anything. He couldn't get much information about the song with everything still rebooting, but he did know that it was a particularly old song, by one of the most famous singers of all time, Elvis Presley. It had been covered hundreds of time over the years, some people would say they were better than the original.

 

_"Take my hand, take my whole life too,_

_For I can’t help falling in love with you._

 

_Like a river flows surely to the sea,_

_Darling, so it goes,_

_Somethings were meant to be._

 

_Take my hand, take my whole life too,_

_For I can’t help falling in love with you._

_For I can’t help falling in love with you."_

 

“Connor?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it! please tell me in the comments, it really helps me with writing! Any ideas of what ideas you want to be added to the story? Let me know!! Hope you have/had a good day!!


	11. Results

The voice was weak and quiet but it was undeniable. The voice that Hank loved hearing every day, the voice that he had been begging to sing to him for weeks now.  _ Connor was singing to him _ . Hank had never heard such a beautiful sound in his entire life, short as it may be. It wasn't perfect obviously, but it was such a unique sound, unique to Connor. Hank was so relieved to hear the improvement from the injured man, although he was still worried about Connors memory, this proved that there was at least  _ something  _ still in there. 

 

Finally, all of Hanks systems were rebooted. He slowly opened his eyes and the sight before him was breathtaking. Connor had a lazy smile plastered on his face, the bed had been adjusted slightly, leaning Connor up instead of having him flat on his back. His hand was now playing with one of the gray strands of hair, now completely fallen out of his small bun. 

 

“Hey Hank,” His voice was weak and his speech was slow but Hank wouldn't have it any other way. He quickly stood from his chair, coming closer to Connors upper body. He leaned down, wrapping his arms around Connors' shoulder, bringing him into his chest. One arm stretched across Connors' shoulders, supporting the small body. The other arm came to rest on the back of Connors' head, playing with the hair that laid there, and pushing Connors head into the crook of his neck 

 

He felt a warm tear fall down his face, his smile never fading. Connors' arms did not wrap around him, but the light chuckle in his ear was enough to convince him that it was okay, Connor was probably just too weak to do a lot of moving around. The feeling of Connors breath on his neck was enough to send his circuits into overdrive. He felt so much, all of his senses heightened, but all of them were focused on Connor. 

 

He could feel Connors heartbeat all over his body. He could tell that Connors' chest was healing adequately, his breathing one hundred times better than it was in the basement a couple days ago. Hank did his best to apply the correct amount of pressure so he could supply lots of comfort for his injured friend, but not enough pressure that it hurts him. Every single point on his body that touched Connor was on fire, the need for him to take care of Connor was astronomical.

 

Slowly, Hank lowered Connors body back to the bed, only taking his hands off the man when he was completely supported by the bed under him. He trailed his arms down from Connors' hair down to his arm as he took his seat back in the chair. He wiped the tears off his face and kept his eyes on Connors own lazy smile. “I’ve missed you Con,” Hank whispered. 

 

Connor chuckled slowly bringing his arm up to Hanks' face, wiping away the tear that he missed. “I would say that I missed you too, but it only felt like a couple seconds to me,” Connor laughed his beautiful laugh, making Hank smile spread across his entire face. His internal clock said it was just after one in the afternoon. 

 

“Has the doctor been in to see you already? How long have you been awake for?” Connor shrugged in reply. 

 

“About an hour or so. The doctor was in here when I woke up, he told me that you hadn't left since I’ve been here, didn't sleep either,” Hank felt get warm as he looked down into his lap. 

 

“I didn't want to take a chance that you would wake up without me awake,”

 

“Kind of ironic isn't it? You didn't sleep the whole time because you wanted to be with me when I woke up, but since you never slept, you were forced to sleep at the time that I actually did wake up,”

 

Hank chuckled, low in his throat, the irony was not lost on him. “I had wanted to be awake when you finally awake, but I think it was worth it to wake up that way, thank you for singing to me Connor,” 

 

Connor was about to reply when the door opened and the doctor sauntered in with a nurse at his side. “Sorry to interrupt boys, but we have to do some of Connors testing. Hank I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room.”

 

Hanks smile was wiped off his face, he didn't want to leave Connor, especially now that he just woke up, he wanted to spend as much time with his as humanly possible. He looked back to Connor, who wore a face of fear at the possible ‘testing’ he was going to have to endure and endure alone. Hank looked back to the doctor, his hand tightening in Connors. He opened his mouth, ready to fight to stay at Connors bedside. The doctor beat him to it, holding his hand up, palm out, stopping Hank before he could even begin to speak. 

 

“Now Hank, I have been more than generous with allowing you to stay the whole time you've been here. I’ve really stuck my neck out for you, but I really need to go for this one. You can stay right outside the door, it won't take more than ten minutes.” Hank looked to Connor again, panic filled his face and his hand gripped as tightly as possible in his weakened state. 

 

The doctor laid his hand on Hanks' shoulder, making the androids head whip over to him. “He's scared, I can't leave him” Hank pleaded. The doctor shook his head, grabbing Hank around his bicep pulling him to stand. Hank could only watch as his hand fell away from Connors weakened one. He raised his eyes to the look on Connors' face he was trying to hide his fear, but he wasn't doing a good job. 

 

“I'll be okay H-Hank,” Hanks' heart jumped in his throat, he would do anything to keep Connor calm, but this time he had no choice in the matter. Hank nodded to the man as the door was pulled open the doctor ushered him out. “I'll be right outside okay? I'm not going anywhere” Connor nodded, a small crooked smile appearing on his face. 

 

Hank was unable to see anything more as the doctor lightly pushed him into the hallway and enter the room himself, “I'm sorry Hank, it will only be about ten minutes,” Hank nodded and watch as the door closed The hallway was much too quiet for his liking, he set his internal clock for ten minutes and waited impatiently as the time started to descend.

 

Why did the doctor want Hank to be out of the room for this? He had been allowed access with everything else's but why not this. What testing had to be kept a secret? Hank got more and more nervous as time wore on. Was something wrong with Connor and they just didn't want him in there when they told him about it? 

 

Hank couldn't get the face that Connor made out of his head. He had just gone through something so terrible and he needed Hank to comfort him, but they made him leave during a time that was extremely stressful for him. He looked so scared, and Hank just wanted to be there for him. 

 

He watched as busy nurses and doctors would walk by in the adjoining hallway, going about their business. Some occasionally would run by, possible to offer their service in an emergency that was underway. Hank wondered who else was going through tragedy today. What other awful sites could be found in other rooms? Hank felt the urge to go find anyone else who may be suffering, and try to make them feel better, but he would dare leave Connors side for any longer than he needed too. 

 

It's been about five minutes, and it was getting  _ painful _ to wait for answers like this. Hank was basically a supercomputer, he craved information, and now he was being deprived of that. It was making him go crazy. He wanted to know what was going on, needed to know. He wanted to go to the receptionist and find out what information she had, but he knew she knew less than he did. He was just begging for information. 

 

He tried to get close enough to the door so he could hear what they were saying. He stopped himself quickly, there must be some reason the doctor wanted Connor alone, and although hank hated it, he had to respect the doctor's wishes. 

 

After what felt like hours had passed, but was actually only eight minutes,  the door slowly opened and the nurse appeared. She held the door open for Hank to enter. When the android looked into the room, his gaze was directly brought to Connor. The sight was heart-wrenching. Connor had tears streaming down his face, his eyes were wide, face red and he looked like he was trying to stop himself from crying. He reached his arms out to Hank. 

 

The android wasted no time crossing the room and taking Connors hand in his own. The androids LED was blinking a strong yellow, showing the fear that was lingering in Hanks mind. He sat down in the chair beside the bed, bringing a hand to the man face to get Connors attention to focus on him.

 

“What's going on Connor? What's wrong? Why are you crying?” Hank couldn't help but throw questions at Connor, he needed to know what was going on. The man let out a choked sob again another tear falling down his face. Hank felt Connors' hands tighten around his own as his shaking body tried to calm itself. Hank wiped away the tear running down the face and waited for an answer. 

 

“I….I c-can't-feel my l-legs Hank!,” 

Hank froze, his LED blink a light red as he took in this new information, Connor couldn't feel his legs? That bastard had paralyzed him. The look on Connors' face was one of pure terror, the fear of the unknown and the fear of what he would do without the use of his legs. Hank bought Conor into his chest, hugging the human to his chest as he continued to cry. Hank looked to the doctor, hoping to get some different answers from the intelligent man. He only shook his head and gave Hank an empathetic glance. 

  
  


Hank had never even considered the face that Connor could lose the feeling in his libs. He had been so concerned over whether or not his mind would be impaired. He felt bad that he had never even considered this as a possible outcome. He knew the would get through it though, he would help Connor get through everything. 

 

The doctor spoke up softly, trying not to disturb the pair too much. “I believe it may be temporary, but even then, we are going to have to start an intense physiotherapy schedule to try to help return as much feeling in your legs as possible.” Connor nodded against hanks shoulder which he now had his face buried into. 

 

Hank looked to the doctor, as he ran his hand up and down Connors shuddering back “Would it be possible to do that out of the hospital? I think Connor wants to get home as soon as possible,” The doctor looked thoughtful for a moment. Connor lifted his head and made eye contact with the doctor, showing that he agreed with Hanks statement. 

 

The doctor let out a small, sigh and turned to the nurse behind him for a couple seconds, before turning back to the two before him. “Hank, you can do the same work as our physiotherapy staff and machines that we have here can do. So I don't see why not. However, you are going to have to take some time to go with my nurse here so she can teach you everything there is to know. You will have to know how to help Mr. Anderson during your therapy sessions and with just normal day to do activities. Hank, I am trusting you with one of my patients, you have to promise me that you are going to take care of him.”

 

Hank nodded immediately, he would always take care of Connor, no matter what. Hanks LED finally shifted to blue, knowing that he was going to able to take care of Connor within the comfort of their own house. Hank looked down at Connor, hoping it was okay with him. Connor gave a sight nod against the android's chest. 

 

The doctor ushered Hank to leave the room with the nurse so that he could learn all the necessary exercises to help Connor gain the feelings in his legs. Hank slowly let go of the man, as he stood from the edge of the bed that he sat on. Connor gave him a slight nod and watched as Hank left the room with the nurse. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In an hours time, Hank had memorized every single exercise and when it was needed. He learned what parts of his body were going to be sensitive and what parts of him would be sensitive. He had been told that they were giving the two a wheelchair, to help Connor get around. Once he had earned all the material he was able to properly help for paralyzed people through their therapy for the day. He was then cleared by the nurse to do Connors therapy in their own home. Hank was overjoyed, so happy to be able to assist Connor like this. 

 

By the time Hank returned to Connors hospital room, the few belongings they had there had been neatly placed on the table beside the bed. On the bed was a stack of clothes for Connor, the man himself was laying back on the bed, looking slightly troubled. When his eyes landed on Hank, a small smile took over his face. He leaned up slightly as Henry approached, he pulled the man into a hug, he was still standing so Connors' head was rested on his chest, listening to his therium pump. 

 

“So, are you my certified physiotherapist now?” Connor joked while looking up at the android as they parted. Hank chuckled nodding his head and bowing comically. “At your service, Mr.Anderson.” They both laughed, just taking time to enjoy the moment. 

 

Connor nodded at the clothes at the foot of the bed. “They want you to help me get dressed, and we can leave.” Connor shook slightly, not liking the idea of not being able to dress. He was embarrassed that Hank was going to have to dress his lower half, which currently had no clothing, not even and boxers. 

 

Hank ran his hand through the man's hair to comfort him, making Connor let out a small sigh, he loved when Hank touched his hair, it was calming and felt nice. “Don't be embarrassed Connor, we’re going to go home and when your knees are healed we will work on the exercises they taught me and you'll be walking, and dressing before you know it. We’ll figure this out I promise.”

 

Connor nodded, thankful that he had Hank to help keep his head on straight. He grabbed the shirt of the green pair of scrubs they had given him, Hank made sure he let Connor do whatever he could independently, he knew the man would get tired of needing help sooner rather than later. 

 

Hank grabbed the small boxers the hospital had supplied and began to slip them over Connors' legs, he kept the blanket over Connors lower half, being able to feel what he was doing. He didn't want to make Connor anymore embarrassed than necessary, Connor seemed thankful for the blanket over him. 

 

After the boxers were on, he removed the blanket to make sure they were on properly before sliding the pants up over the two bright green casts in the same way. Satisfied with his work, he softly grabs Connors legs lightly pulling them over the side of the bed, which in turn slightly shifted Connors upper half. Hank reached his arm out to help Connor up, only for it to be pushed away. Conor used his own arms on the bed to help push himself into a seated position. 

 

Han chuckled lightly, reminding himself again that he had to make sure he didn't do too much and didn't make Connor feel helpless. Thankfully Connor didn't look angry, he was just lightly chuckling at Hank. The man had to keep his arms on either side of himself to keep him steady. “This feels really weird,” he commented, “Like I’m not touching the floor but I am at the same time, I feel like I should be more upset but its just pretty funny.” He started to laugh and Hank couldn't hold in his own smile when Connor was happy, he was happy.

 

“You're just not sad or scared because you know this big strong android is going to make sure you're walking in no time.” Connor laughed again, nodding. Hank brought the wheelchair closer to the bed, he bent down in front of Connor and used his own hands to wrap Connors arms around his neck. He held onto Connors back, standing up straight and using his own hands and body to keep Connor standing. To anyone who had no idea what was going on, it would look like a strange hug.  

 

He turned himself, and therefore Connor, to the right so that he was in front of the wheelchair. He lightly set Conor down into the seat, pulling on his legs so that they were sitting on the little footplates. 

 

“Do you want me to push you?” Hank asked, grabbing their phones, his jacket, and a few other belongings from the side table then walking over to stand behind the wheelchair. 

 

“No, no I got it,” Connor said as he brought his hands to the wheels of the chair, pushing himself forward, with a little difficulty thanks to  He was thankful of the amount of freedom and independence Hank was giving him. If Hank was hovering over him and doing everything for him he would probably go insane in a couple days. He slowly wheeled himself out of the room and listened as Hank followed behind him, closing the door on his way out. 

 

The android joined him at his side, setting the dead phone he recovered from the scene in the man's lap. He ran his fingers through Connors curly hair, hearing a small sign come from Connors' lips.

 

“Let's go home, Con”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I haven't been posting in forever! I was at my sisters' with no time to write!! Also, I will not be writing about the issue of going to the bathroom when you're paralyzed. I know it a big deal but I just don't think I could do it and it's also like one of my greatest fears, sorry if you think its cheap that I'm not writing it but that's what I have decided!! Maybe I'll change my mind later but that's what I'm doing for now!
> 
> Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any ideas or what you want to see from this story! Tell me what you think of the whole story so far!! Have a good day!


	12. Kiss

The first few days since Connor got out of the hospital were impossibly hard. Hank always tried his best to help his human friend, but sometimes Connor was horribly frustrated at his inability to move around on his own accord. He would occasionally yell and lash out at the android, not wanting to cause harm but just needing an outlet for his anger. 

 

When Connor was feeling like that, Hank would always make sure Connor was in a safe position and then leave whatever room he was in so Connor got the time he needed to calm down. Connor was thankful for that, Hank always knew what was best for him and he did take really good care of him. 

 

The pair couldn't wait to start with the physical therapy. Every morning, before Hank got Connor out of bed, he would run his hands over all of Connor's visible skin that wasn't covered by a cast. He would feel from foot to thigh, seeing if Connor could fee Hanks hands on him. Neither of them knew if it was possible for any feeling to just  _ come back  _ but they tried regardless. 

 

The second week became easier, Connor was much more relaxed, getting used to Hank helping him with. On the other hand, Hank was getting used to what things Connor needed help with and the things he wanted to do independently. They had come to a compromise of sorts, Hank wouldn't hover over him, and Connor would accept the help when it was necessary. 

 

Since they had been home, Connor had not gained any feeling in his legs. However, since Connor was now off of all the pain medication and due to hank checking his legs in the morning, they knew that he only lost feeling after the knee. Thankfully, the thigh and up still had feeling. 

 

Connor was happy, he was relieved that he wouldn't need help going to the bathroom and other similar activities, he doesn't think he would be able to handle the embarrassment. Connor was getting used to relying on Hank and was beginning to let go of reservations about needing him. When Connor found out that Hank really wanted to help him and that Hank didn't see him as a burden, he was much more happy to receive his help.

 

“Hank! Could you help me for a sec?” Connor called from the living room. He had tried to reach his wheelchair but had accidentally pushed it farther away from the couch, causing it re wheel out of his reach. Hank appeared at the side of the couch, coming from the kitchen where he was cooking a light lunch for the man. 

 

“I pushed it by accident,” Connor chuckled keeping his eyes in his lap, a red blush rising to his cheeks. Hank laughed along with him, reaching over to grab the handle of the chair which was now being taken up by Richy who was nearly fully grown at this point. Hank gently pushed the animal off the chair, placing it close enough that Connor could get on it. 

 

Having lost the feeling in his legs, Connor had to rely on the muscles in his arms and upper body to lift him from spot to spot. Hank was feeding him a high protein diet to build the muscles in his arms. Thankfully, Connor had continued to gain weight at a steady pace, gaining anywhere from one to four pounds a week. He looked a lot more healthy, his face was more filled out, and every time Connor would have a bath, Hank could tell that his stomach was starting to fill, regardless of his ribs still being much more visible than they should be. 

 

Hank locked the wheels on the chair so that it would not roll away again, obviously, he had neglected to do that last time. He stayed behind the chair, helping to keep it steady as Connor used his arms to lift himself from the couch to the chair, which was reasonably the same height. 

 

When he was all settled in, Hank unlocked the wheels and began pushing Connor to the kitchen. Connor sniffed the air slightly, letting out a sigh as he exhaled, “What are you making?” He hummed closing his eyes and resting his head back, looking at the android above him.

 

“Just a chicken ranch wrap, grilled chicken, shredded cheddar, lettuce, and some ranch. Sound good? I know how much you love ranch,” Connor nodded quickly looking forward again as the chair came to a stop beside the table. “That sounds so good Hank,” Connor commented. 

 

The man expected Hank to return to the stove so he could continue cooking. However, he was shocked to feel Hanks arms slipping around him, one arm across his back and the other under his useless legs. Connor yelped quietly, bringing his arm up around Hanks Neck to prevent him from falling. Hank chuckled again and gave him an offended look, “You know, I am built to be three times stronger than the average thirty-year-old man,” 

 

Hank sat him on the table gently. Once he was stable, he pulled back so that he was at eye level with the man. “Yeah, yeah I know, you just surprised me,” Connor shrugged as he pushed the android back to the stove. “I thought you might like it better, being the same height as me, instead of always having to look up from a chair” Connor looked around the room and the night he was at, it was better. He almost felt like he was standing again. 

 

It almost felt no different, like nothing had happened. Connor couldn't wait till he could feel his legs again and put everything behind him. He wanted to forget what had happened and move on with his life. Go back to work and actually be of some use around the house, he felt back that he could take care of their pets or do laundry or the dishes or anything else. All of that weight was on Hanks' shoulders now, and Connor wished he could relieve it. 

 

Sometimes he loved when Hank would help him with things, loved that Hank was always there to help him with everything. He wouldn't deny that he missed his independence though because he did. He loved getting to do something just for the hell of it. Right now he often had to ask Hank for help moving into the wheelchair, so he didn't like to go anywhere if he didn't want to, didn't want to bother Hank.

 

Right now though, Connor felt almost normal, he was almost the same height he would be if he was standing. With seeing from this height, he could actually see out of the window above the sink properly, he could see the cupcake trays above the cabinets. Connor smiles a genuine smile, happy to feel normal again. 

 

Sumo barked at the door signaling to Hank and Sumo that he wanted to go out. “One minute Sumo I just need to take the chicken off the stove and then I’ll let you out,” Hank turned off the dial on the stove and reached for a plate to set the chicken breast on. 

 

“I’ll get him!” Connor chirped sliding himself off the table without thinking. Before either of them could do anything, Connor had already pushed himself off the table. It felt like slow motion to Connor. He expected himself to just land on his feet and head to the door. However, he could only watch as the world tumbled and he crumpled to the floor.

 

He let out a small grunt of pain as he fell head first to the floor. His right cheek was pushed on to the floor and his hands were on either side of his throbbing head. Hank turned around as soon as he heard Connor hit the floor, he abandoned the pan in the sink, rushing over to the man on the floor. He fell to his knees and tried to look at Connors face which he was trying to block with his hand. “Connor! Are you alright?!”

 

Connor could feel tears spring to his eyes, he was so embarrassed. How could he have possibly forgotten that he couldn't use his legs? He felt Hanks warm hand on his back and that only made him feel worse. Hank was just trying to make him some lunch, do something nice for him, but he had to go and ruin it by being an idiot and falling off the table. He wanted the floor to just swallow him up so he could hide his embarrassment away. 

 

“I guess it a good thing I can't feel my legs, that probably would have hurt” Connor tried to joke, only to have his voice crack part way through his sentence, Hank had to know he was crying now. Connor was trying his best to hold it together but his composer was slowly falling apart around him. He felt so humiliated, he was so stupid and pathetic, he can't even use his legs. He felt so useless. 

 

Connor couldn't hold it anymore, he let himself start to sob on the kitchen floor, not soft quiet sobbing, full loud ugly sobbing. Connor felt himself being lifted into Hanks lap, he didn't even try to fight it, he was powerless and he knew it. 

 

“Oh, Connor. Don't cry baby please don't cry, its okay I’ve got you. I'm going to make it all better.” Hank tried his best to shush him and cam his cries. Hank sat with his legs crossed on the floor, Connors body was sitting in his lap his head was pushed into Hanks' neck as he continued to cry and his own hands were sitting in his lap, still shaking with humiliation. 

 

One of Hanks' arms were wrapped around Connors' waist, helping to keep the man seated in his lap, and the other was in Connor's hair rubbing his fingers through his soft curls. Hank had caught on to how sensitive Connors scalp was and how much he enjoyed having his hair touched. He did it often, knowing it was very effective in calming him. 

 

Hank started rocking side to side, running his hand through his hair at the same time. It took a couple of minutes but Connors cries soon began to dwindle and eventually just turned to small whimpers and sniffles. Hank rubbed his back in a calming motion, waiting until Connors breathing had returned to normal. “I'm so fucking stupid,” Connor whispered, his voice still cracking with intense emotion. 

 

“No Connor you’re not stupid, you spent almost your whole life walking, you’ve been paralyzed for barely a week, it takes some time to get used to things like that Connor, and I'll be here to help you every step of the way, you're not alone” Hank tried to look at Connors face, but he continues to keep his face hidden in Hanks' neck. 

 

“You shouldn't have to take care of me, Hank, I’m a grown man,”

 

“A grown injured man Con, You can help what happened and you need help, I like helping you, Connor.” 

 

Connor pouted to himself, shaking his head. “You should have just left me to die there, I’m worthless anyways. Just a depressed cop who's already passed his prime,” Connors face only held anger to himself, Hanks face softened, Connor had these episodes every once in a while but he would always be there to help him through them. 

 

Hank shook his head, “Con, we’ve talked about this, you are far from worthless, you are not passed your prime. You just need motivation again, I would never ever leave you alone in that place to be killed and hurt beyond repair.”

 

Connor lifted his head to look into Hanks' eyes. They only held care and admiration for the man. He knew how much Hank cared about him, but sometimes the thoughts took over his brain. He couldn't stop them from changing the way he acted and the way he lashed out at everyone around him. 

 

He looked into hanks bright blue eyes, they shined with so much, Connor couldn't tell if it was the new emotions from his deviancy or the many programs he ran constantly. Either way, Connor thought they were the most brilliant shade of blue. Connor loved Hanks beard that was brilliantly trimmed and styled to look just perfect. His gray hair was tied back into a small ponytail at the back of his head. 

 

Hank continued to rock Connor back and forth as he ran his hand repeatedly through his hair and down his face, calming Connors' nerves. Their eyes met and Connor couldn't help but stare. The deep sea of blue that he couldn't help but drown in. Connor lifted his own hand, rubbing Hanks cheek softly. He was aware of the space slowly decreasing between the two and he was surprisingly not bothered by it. 

 

Connors' eyes drifted to Hanks' lips, they were stupidly beautiful and soft looking, those stupid cyberlife jerks had to make him look so stunning. Even all the wrinkles on his face were there only to make him appear to be an older man, and they looked amazing on him. Not too many, just the perfect amount. 

 

Hank continued to lean over him, getting closer and closer, giving Connor more than enough time to stop him, but he never did. Connor closed his eyes as he felt hanks lips touched his own. It was a feeling he had never experienced before, he felt like every nerve inside of him was lighting up. He felt Hanks' hand fall on his neck, pulling him in closer. His own hand stayed on the man's face, keeping him in place. 

 

Hanks' lips started to move against his own after he got over a moment of shock, he moved his lips as well. Hanks' hand began to move up and down his waist and Connor couldn't help but shiver at the tingling sensation that Hanks' hand left behind. Connor wanted to run his own hands over the man's back when something interrupted them. 

 

Sumo jumped in between the two, barking loudly in their faces. They both parted laughing at the large dog. Connor looked up to the android only to see a sly smirk light up his face. Connor felt his face heat up and a blush fills his face. Sumo barked again, licking bother their faces. 

 

“Yeah, yeah you can go out” Hank laughed as he lifted Connor up from the floor gently. One arm wrapped under Connors' thighs to keep him upright and the other pressed against his back, pushing him into the android's chest. The hand on his back rubbed gently making the human tingle. He then set him on the chair closest to them, which just happened to be the chair the Connor used every time he ate at the table.

 

Hanks' face looked troubled for a second, his LED turning yellow taking away the blue that Connor always appreciated. It was almost as if he was trying to run too many of his advanced programs at once, or maybe he was regretting what just happened. Connor was worried, had he freaked Hank out? Was it too personal for Hank to handle so soon after his defense? Connor looked to the floor, scared to look into Hanks' eyes. 

 

All those fears soon diminished. Hank stood in front of him and lifted his chin delicately. Connor saw that the smirk had yet to leave the cocky androids to face, he chuckled lightly at Connors shocked face and leaned down to place a small peck to the man's lips. He pulled away quickly, letting go of Connors' chin. “We have a lot to talk about Con,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually talked to some doctor so now I have more of an idea of Connors current condition and how I'm going to take it! Sorry, this one is a bit shorter! I changed things a bit so only below his kees was paralyzed, it will just work better in the story. Thanks for reading! tell me some ideas you may have and tell me what you thought of this chapter in the comments!! Thank you and have a good day!!
> 
> Also, do you like the switching POV's or should I just stick to one? I like changing each time for the one that better suits each situation.


	13. Relationship

It was about an hour later when Connor sat on the floor of the bathroom. He was dressed only in his boxers as he waited for Hank to return from getting some warm towels. He was leaned up against the tub, listening to it fill with water. He kept his hand in the tub, feeling the temperature of the water and changing it to his liking if necessary. The casts around his knees were expertly wrapped with plastic to protect them from any water potentially ruining them. Thanks to Hanks expert wrapping ability, Connor could take a quick bath, instead of an uncomfortable shower. 

 

The man rubbed his small stomach, thinking back on the nice lunch Hank had prepared for him. The wraps were probably one of his favorite lunch items that Hank had every prepared for him. Thoughts of lunch also led to other thoughts.

 

Falling off the table, Hank comforting him, Hank  _ kissing  _ him. Conor thought he would be more conflicted, however, the more he let himself think about the android, the clearer his thoughts became. He knew what he wanted, and he wanted Hank to be his. Not in the way androids previously belonged to someone, Connor wanted Hank  _ to want  _ to be his. 

 

The android himself interrupted Connors thoughts when he knocked on the door and peered inside, “I brought you some warm towels, are you ready to get in?” Connor nodded his head, reaching over and shutting off the water that was still pouring from the tap. He sighed happily as he felt the warmth of the water, it was very comfortable for him. 

 

The man had gotten used to Hank helping him with nearly everything, getting dressed, getting around the house, cleaning himself, so nothing really bothered him anymore. Hank set the fluffy towel on the sink on the far wall. Connor was already pushing himself against the side of the tub, trying to use his upper body strength to lift himself a bit off the floor. 

 

Hank stood in front of the man, grabbing onto Connors' hips and easily lifting him up and setting him on the edge of the tub, very similar to how he had done the morning after Connors seizure. 

 

Connor slowly maneuvered himself into the tub, with Hank bringing his useless legs over and into the water. Connor let out a relaxed sigh, leaning his head back against the tub and shutting his eyes. He heard Hank kneel on the outside of the tub and when he opened his eyes he saw Hank reaching over to bring the shampoo and conditioner from an upper shelf.

 

Hank brought one hand to the back of Connors' head, causing the man to open his eyes. “I’m going to move you forward so I can get your hair wet, aright?” Connor knew the drill, they did this nearly every day. Both of Hanks' hands strayed to Connors' waist and hooked his fingers into the waistline of the man's boxers. 

 

“I’m going to take your boxers off first, okay Con?” Connor nodded once again, it was routine by now. Eventually, Connor had to get over the fact that Hank was going to have to see him naked. The day after they got home from the hospital, Connor had tried to bathe all by himself and ended up smashing his head on the side of the tub before he was even all the way in the water. 

 

Thankfully, Hank made the man more than comfortable even when he had to be completely bare to him. Connor really didn't know why he was so embarrassed, to begin with. It's not like Hank was looking at him while he was naked, and even if he was, for what reason? Certainly not to compare or make Connor feel inadequate. Did Hank even have a dick? Connor shook his head, it was not the right time for Connor to be thinking about Hanks possible dick, not when he was about to be bare to the man.

 

Hank grabbed the boxers and slowly slid them down Connors' legs, careful not to touch the casts which were raised out of the water to keep them from getting wet. He wrung out the wet fabric into the tub and then threw them across the room having them land accurately in the sink. The whole time the android kept his eyes locked onto Connors, just so that the man knew Hank wasn't looking at his dick. 

 

Hank stood from his knees and leaned over the tub, looking at the man sitting in the water. Connor looked up and studied the man's face. The cycling blue LED made his smile widen. Connor loved Hanks LED, he loved being able to get an idea of what Hank was thinking and what his mood was. He was calm as far as Connor could tell thanks to the LED and the androids lazy smirk. 

 

Afterward, Hank brought his hand to the back of Connors' head, right above the neck, and the other hand went to the small of his back. “I'm going to move you now okay? Tilt your head back” Connor did as he was told, he titled his head back and closed his eyes as he felt his body being moved down the length of the tub and closer down to the water. 

 

The hand left his head while the other moved up to the middle of Connors back. Connor leaned his head back into the water and closed his eyes as a satisfied moan left his mouth. He felt Hanks hand running through his hair, making sure all of it was throughout drenched in water.

 

At the feeling of hands in his hair which Hank knew Connor  _ loved _ , he let out another quiet moan fall from his lips unexpectedly. He let out a gasp as he felt himself redden from the noise he let out. Hank just chuckled as he gently brought Connor back into a sitting position. “Don't be embarrassed Connor, I like hearing you make those sounds,” 

 

Hank smirked, he knew what he was doing. Connors' face was almost as red as a tomato and Hank couldn't help but laugh. “It's not my fault you make nicest noises Connor,” Hank grabbed the vanilla and honey shampoo, which was Hanks favorite. Now that Connor needed help with cleaning himself and such, Hank got to choose what scents his soaps were. Often vanilla. Connor didn't really need help washing his hair, but Hank loved doing it and Connor liked when Hank touched his hair, so it was an easy compromise. 

 

He squeezed some of the cleaner into his hands and began to run them through Connors now soaked hair, letting the scent of vanilla fill the immediate area. Connor smirked to himself if Hank liked the noises he made, he was going to make sure Hank got an earful today. 

 

Just as Connors' hair started to get all foamy, he let out a loud moan, tilting his head back just a bit and letting his eyes slip closed. He felt Hanks hand freeze in his hair momentarily and he smirked knowing what he was doing to the android. After a couple seconds Hank started moving his hands again and Connor hummed at the feeling. He didn't know why he just loved when Hank touched his hair. 

 

Hank brought his hands back to help Connor lean back in the water, so he could wash out the shampoo from Connors black locks. Connor moans quietly this time, he kept his eyes open, looking at Hanks shocked face. He looked at the brightly spinning yellow LED, wondering what was going on in that supercomputer brain of his.

 

“What are you doing Connor?” Hank asked, while still washing the shampoo out of his hair. Connor laughed to himself, seeing Hanks LED turn to blue once again. “You said you liked the noises I make, I thought I would indulge you a bit,” A light blue tinge appeared on Hanks face, similar to that of human blushing, which only made Connors smirk widen. 

 

Hank brought Connors body back into a sitting position and grabbed the conditioner which matched with the shampoo, vanilla, and honey. Connor loved the smell just as much as Hank, it was soft and subtle but if you were close enough, which Hank always was, the vanilla was very strong and powerful. 

 

Connor hummed softly as Hanks has weaved through his hair, keeping it quiet for the time being. Hanks hands left his hair and grabbed the vanilla body wash from the side of the tub. He squeezed a small amount onto a pink and purple loofah, “You know, I told you I wanted a green one,” Connor had his arms crossed over his chest giving Hank a pointed look. 

 

Hank laughed out loud as he started rubbing the soap filled loofah over Connors lower leg that wasn't covered by the cast, washing away the dirt and germs from the day. He then cleaned Connors feet quickly, knowing the man was self-conscience about them. He then brought the loofah up to the space above the cast, cleaning his thigh but not going high enough to cause discomfort. 

 

Connor let out a quiet squeak, shocked when he could actually feel the android touching him. After Hank was done, his eyes rose to Connor's face as he handed him the loofah. “Well, I think that pink is more your color.” Connor pouted comically at Hanks response as he started washing his body with the loofah. 

 

Hank sank to his knees and leaned against the tub, keeping eyes on Connor as he washed his chest. Hank took in a deep unnecessary breath, analyzing the smell of soap in the air and shutting his eyes. “I really like that smell,” Hank said lazily as he shut his eyes. “Well yeah, that would make sense, you are the one who bought it.” Hank smiled, nodding his head in his agreement. 

 

“I have really good taste,” 

 

“You tasted the soap?” 

Hank opened his eyes, caught off guard, his LED spinning yellow. Hank let out a loud laugh, clutching his chest with his hand as he laughed. After a second he opened his eyes and saw a truly beautiful sight. Connor was leaned back in the tub, his eyes squinted so tight together as he laughed that tears rolled down his face. 

 

Hank didn't think it was that funny, but to see Connor laugh like that, he would make sure the only thing that fell out of his mouth was a stupid joke. Connors smile was so wide that the side of his mouth formed small wrinkles. He looked so happy and so joyful, almost like a small child. 

 

Hank would do anything to keep that smile on his face forever. 

 

Hank took the time to reflect on his thoughts. Being an android, he didn't know how to love or what love felt like, but he thought that he loved Connor. He cared about him with everything he had, he would allow himself to be destroyed just so Connor could live, it if ever came to that. Hank still struggles with his emotions, he doesn't understand all of them, but he knows how he feels for the human. 

 

Connor makes him so happy, an emotion he shouldn't even be able to have, but thanks to Connor, he can. He wouldn't want to spend his time with anyone else, he never wants to be without the man ever. If they were to live together for the rest of Connors natural life, he has no idea what he would do afterward, if he doesn't self-destruct from the stress of Connors death. 

 

Hank wants to experience everything with Connor at his side. The full human experience with Connor to guide him through it. Hank wanted to adopt more animals with Connor, make a bigger family. Hank knew that he was probably thinking too far ahead, he knew Connor was more of a day-to-day type of person, not really thinking about anything long term. Hank didn't want to bring any of this up with Connor, he was worried to freak the man out and cause him unnecessary stress.

 

Hank saw Connors laughs dying down, his heart rate was still quite fast and his temperature was very warm, but that would be normal after as much excitement as he had. Hanks' eyes strayed down to Connors arm which was now sat on the edge of the bathtub. His wrist area had many small lines across it, some old scars, some still healing cuts, and quite a few fresher wounds. 

 

Although Hank had stayed by Connor side for the most part for the past couple of months, Connor still felt the need to release some of his own stress by acting out dangerously against himself. By Hanks examination, there were many other spots on Connors body that had been assaulted in such a way, but only the area on his arm had been recently attacked by Connor himself. There were still times when Connor would be drunk or high when hank stepped out for a bit, although they were becoming less and less frequent. Hank had hoped that he only ever did this stuff when he was impaired but that didn't seem to be the case. 

 

Hank could trace back many of the scars to the time around which Hank had moved in and others to the time Hank had met Connor, there were hundreds of others that traced back even later. While Hank was sad that Connor had done these things to himself, he was seeing improvement, or at least Connor attempting to improve. He had yet to bring it up to the human but he had not found the right time just yet he was hoping that his presence would slowly be able to get Connor to stop on his own. 

 

He had tried many times to find Connors weapon of choice so he could get rid of it but he had yet to find it. Connor was good at hiding it too, it took quite a while for Hank to find out, he didn't really know until Connor had been taken to the hospital, the doctors had been the ones to find all the marks. Most of the time, Connor would wear clothes that covered all of the areas, other times he would just keep the scarred skin from Hanks sight. 

 

Hank bought his eyes up to Connors, which were still shut but now his head was leaned back, relaxing. Thankfully he hadn't been caught staring at one of Connors many insecurities, now was not the time to deal with it. He slid his own hand into Connors damp one squeezing lightly. Connor opened his eyes and brought them to land on Hanks' face, smile still stuck on his face. Hank loved that smile and never wanted to go a day without looking at it but he still didn't understand emotions and relationships completely.

 

“Connor, are we in a relationship?” Hank asked hopefully, afraid of the answer and Connors reaction. Thankfully, Connor chuckled, he didn't embarrass himself, and Connor wasn't mad at him or anything. The man tried to sit up straight, having a bit of an issue with his useless legs. Hank held tight to Connors' hand and used his other hand on Connors back to bring him up to a sitting position.

 

Hank now realized his face was only about two inches from Connors, and he went to move back before he made the man uncomfortable. Connors hand clutching his shirt in the middle of his chest, stopping him from moving. Hank let out a small gasp, shocked by Connors actions. He looked down from the man's beautiful brown eyes to his mouth where a playful smirk sat. 

 

Hank realised that his had was still in Connors and was being squeezed comfortably. His other hand rose up slightly to rest on the back of Connors' neck, playing with the hair there. Connor slowly inched closer, until his mouth right next to the androids ear, lips brushing it as he spoke. 

 

“You know, usually I don't really like labels, I just like to go with the flow, let things take its course. But for you? I would love to be your boyfriend” Connors seductive tone make Hanks whole frame shake, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. 

 

“If you'll have me, that is,” Connors tongue slipped out and licked the shell of Hanks' ear, causing a small moan to slip out of Hanks' mouth, he shivered from the pleasure. It only intensified when Connors' teeth bit down on his ear lobe, pulling gently. Hank let a louder moan fall from his mouth, his circuits nearly exploding from when Connor was doing to him. 

 

Connor pulled back lightly, smirk still plastered on his face and a devilish look in his eyes. Hanks' eyes met his, the first time Connor saw a look of uncertainty cross his features. “So, what do you say Hank? Will you be my boyfriend?” 

 

Hank didn't even take a second to respond, he slammed his lips onto Connors, kissing him with as much passion as he could muster in this state. Connor kissed him back with just as much enthusiasm. More tongue and teeth than their first kiss, not that Hank was complaining. 

 

Kissing Connor was the way Hank imagined being on drugs to feel. Intoxication and almost like fireworks were exploding within him. He never wanted to stop. Connor shoved his tongue into the android's mouth, bringing the hand that wasn't clutching his chest to Hanks gray locks, pulling them out of the small ponytail and letting the elastic fall to the ground. 

 

Hank moaned into his mouth, loving the feeling on Connor pulling on his hair. He leaned up higher on his knees, becoming taller than Connor who was sat in the slightly elevated tub. He pressed Connor back farther into the tub, bringing one of his hands to Connor's face, rubbing the baby soft skin that sat there. 

 

Connor pulled back from the kiss to breathe, loving the devastating look on Hanks' face, he had never looked so good. Even though hank was on top of him, the much larger man dominating him, pushing him down deeper in the water, Connor knew that in a way he had the upper hand. Anything he wanted, Hank would do for him, Hank would pleasure him in any way he could. Even though he was underneath him, Connor could still control every aspect of this if he chose. However, Connor preferred to be controlled and dominated, so he would never want to take complete control. 

 

It was nice to see what he did to the android though, Hank was wrapped his little finger, and they both knew it. Connor laughed at Hanks blissed out face, his LED cycling a strong yellow and Conor loved it. He brought his finger to rest on top of it, causing Hank to let out a small moan and his frame to shiver. 

 

“I’ll take that as a yes then?” 

 

Hank smirked, smashing his lips back to Connors and shoving his tongue in the man's mouth. 

 

In all of the excitement, they almost forgot to wash the conditioner out of Connors' hair. Not that either of them really cared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it!! Sorry, it took so long to get out, I've been busy. However, I am back in school on Monday with only one class so I should have lots of time t write throughout the rest of the day! Also, I am writing a one-shot that I am working really hard on, I will let you know when it's out if you would like to read it!! Does anyone want to be a beta-reader? because obviously I really need one! Email swood3133@gmail.com if you're interested! (Unless there is a DM feature on here and I am just too dumb to find it?? Then DM me!) 
> 
> Thanks, for reading!! I really hope you liked it! Tell me in the comments what you think or what you want to see come from this story!! Thank you and have a good day!
> 
> Also, do you want smut?


	14. Nightmares

It wasn't until about two weeks later that Hank had really seen how traumatized Connor was and how anxious he had become. There was always the occasional nightmare, but they both expected that. Hank was always there to comfort him afterward, so it seemed like everything was, for the most part, manageable.

 

The nightmares would usually consist of Connor being trapped in the dark, decrepit basement again, except Hank would not be there in time to save him. Connor had also described one of the dreams to be worse than the rest. 

 

He had dreamed on multiple occasions that Hank had been the one beaten and damaged. Connor had told him while in a fit of tears that he was unable to save Hank, and that the dream ended with him finding Hank’s dead body on the cold ground. 

 

Hank was disturbed, to say the least. He was sad that the human’s own mind had tortured him in such a way that Hank had to try his very best to calm Connor down from a panic attack. On one or two occasions, Hank had to help Connor use his newly re-prescribed asthma medication to put a stop to his asthma attacks that his own stress brought on. 

 

Hank didn't fully understand the concept of dreams or imagination. However, he did know that these dreams were real enough to cause Connor enough distress and fear that his body reacted to it physically. Thankfully, Hank was always there to help him through the motions, although he wished he knew how to stop them altogether. 

 

He had done plenty of research on the human mind, and how dreams can affect him even after he is awake. Every night that Connor was having a nightmare, Hank would usually be able to tell due to his increased breathing, Hank would wrap him up in his arms and hold him to his chest, making sure Connor could hear this thirium pump beating. 

 

By doing this, Hank hoped to prevent any of Connor’s dreams from developing into night terrors. Hank wished Connor would never have to deal with one of those, but he was ready if he needed too. For now, having Connor wake up with Hank’s arms around him seemed to be doing the trick. 

 

Tonight was no different. Hank was currently sitting cross-legged on the bed with Connor's body laid across it, with his arms supporting the man's neck and legs. He kept one of Connor’s hands in his own, giving him something to hold onto when he woke up.

 

The man's face was wrinkled in fear, his brows furrowed with concentration. Hank wanted so badly to wake him up and spare him from whatever disastrous situation was running through his mind. However, he knew better. Connor could possibly lash out in fear and therefore hurt himself or even Hank. 

 

The android stimulated his breathing to be deep and calm, giving Connor a pace to match as soon as he was awake. He rocked Connors body back and forth, wondering if he may be able to soothe Connor that way; it seemed as though tonight’s dream might be a pretty bad one. Connor hadn't even been dreaming like this for five minutes and he was already breathing quick small breaths, not getting enough air into his panicked lungs. His body was shaking with fear as Hank ran his hand through hiss dark curly hair. He looked over to the night stand at Connors inhaler, he always had it ready just in case. Trying to not disturb the sleeping form, he cautiously reached over for it. 

 

His hand wrapped around the small device, pulling it back with him and setting it beside Connor’s head. Hank smiled down at his boyfriend, still happily surprised that Connor was his now. He leaned down to press a small kiss to the man's forehead, showing a loving gesture while at the same time checking Connor’s rising temperature. 

 

Ninety-nine points five, higher than normal but nothing to be worried about. Hank could only watch as Connor’s body tensed up and shook at different intervals, going through the throws of his nightmare. Hank couldn’t help but be sad that Connor had to go through such an awful experience all on his own. 

 

Suddenly a noise brought his full attention to the bedroom door. Sumo appeared from the slowly opening door, trotting his large body past the door frame and jumping up on the foot of the bed. He leaned over the human, sniffing his face softly before laying down, resting his head on Connors' stomach. Richy soon appeared in the doorway as well. He made his way to the bed, jumping up and then settling at the foot of the bed. 

 

Hank got lost for a moment, looking at the family he was now apart of. The troubled man in his arms, taking up residence on his chest. The large dog, taking up more room over the bed than Connor did. Not to mention the small cat at the end of the bed, minding his own business but making sure everyone remembered he was there. 

 

He couldn't help but be proud. This was  _ his family, _ something he didn't even know he could have. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to create more memories and add more family members. Though he had only know Connor for such a short amount of time, he couldn't think of anything he loved more than the man in front of him. 

 

He loved being apart of Connor's life. He wanted to experience everything life had to offer, and he wanted to experience it with Connor. He didn't know if Connor thought about them later in life, but Hank definitely did. He couldn't help it, maybe it was the android in him, trying to pre-construct what might become of them in the next years to come. 

 

He knew for a fact that he wanted to marry Connor some day. He had already begun thinking about how he would do it, where he might take Connor to ask, or if there maybe a way he could use their pets to help hm. He had to stop himself before he got too far ahead, he wasn't sure if Connor wanted that with him. He definitely didn't want to ask him.

 

He knew that some humans do not always like to think that far ahead, and he definitely didn't want to pressure him into thinking about it before he was ready. Hank knew that many humans found that kind of commitment to be scary and restricting, which Hank didn't quite understand. 

 

Why would anyone want to wait after they had found the person they love? Shouldn't you want to start experiencing life and making memories with the person you love as soon as possible? He understood that it took humans time to find out how they truly felt about a person and that could be the reason for them to take things slow. 

 

However, Hank was positive it was Connor who he wanted to be with forever. Did Connor not think the same of him? Hank shook his head at the thought, he knew Connor cared about him even if he had not explicitly said that he loved him yet. Also, Connor was an extremely damaged and self-destructive man, it makes sense that these things take longer for him. 

 

A sound from beneath him had stolen his attention away from his own thoughts. Sumo was looking up at him, whimpering as his head turned to Connor’s still form. Too still. Hank noticed that Connor had stopped breathing entirely. Sadly, it was not exactly an unfamiliar situation. 

 

Hank was not exactly surprised, since the kidnapping, Connor had been having a lot more sleep apnea episodes, and he believed they may have been caused by all the recent stress. Thankfully, Connor never stopped breathing for more than thirty seconds at most, and always regain a normal breathing pattern afterward. It seemed to the android that he was still in the midst of his nightmare. 

 

His eyes were still scrunched up and his eyebrows furrowed with worry. His head would lull back and forth every few seconds, almost as if trying to shake the dream away. Hank found it strange that the man was able to still be dreaming when his breathing had stalled, never imagining the two happening at the same time. 

 

None the less he started the time, but released shortly after that it was unnecessary. It had merely been about ten seconds by the time Connor had started up his regular breathing pattern once again. Sumo continued to whimper, worried for his best friend, causing Richy to make his way up the bed as well. 

 

The cat eventually settled, laying down right beside Connor’s head. He rubbed his furry head against the highest point on his shoulder that he could reach. Hank once again looked at the four of them all cuddled up on the queen-sized bed. Hank smiled, hoping that Connor would have a better time calming down, while cuddled up to everyone in the house. 

 

Not more than two minutes and Connor started to squirm in Hanks' arms, a few tears slipping out of his closed eyes. 

 

“Connor,” Hank whispered, struggling to just sit by when his partner was suffering in his own mind. Connor began thrashing, his arms flailing around trying to hit whatever was closest to him. Hank knew Connor’s legs would be doing the same if that was possible. 

 

“Connor, please calm down.  I've got you, you’re safe. You’re safe, I promise,” Hank pleaded, tears slipping out of his own eyes; it pained him to see Connor so afraid. Soon enough, the movement suddenly stopped and the man's eyes blinked open quickly. His neck whipped around the room as he grabbed bunches of Hank’s nightshirt in his small fists.

 

Hank brought Connor’s head into his neck, letting him smell the scent Hank carried with him, letting him know he was safe. He ran his hand through the human’s curly hair, trying to calm him as he whispered sweet nothings into his ear. 

 

“It's okay, it's okay. You're safe, you're here with me and I'm not ever going to let you go, no one is ever going to hurt you again, I promise Connor.” Hank held his breath when Connor stopped trying to look around the room, he knew what was coming, it was his least favorite part of the whole situation. 

 

Every night, after Connor woke up in a panic afraid that he would be somewhere besides his own bed, he would  _ cry.  _ Not just cry, but he would  _ scream.  _ His sobs were so loud, they often scared the animals. If they weren't already in the room, the sounds would awaken them, and Sumo would often burst into the room ready to fight off an intruder. 

 

After the man realized he was safe and not in any moral danger, he would over-think the dream and all the horrific dreams and memories of his captivity. Connor would insist that he could feel a pain in his currently paralyzed legs and other places on his body and no matter what Hank did, he could not make the pain go away faster. 

 

After a short while, it would ebb away, and Connor would be just crying into Hank’s chest again. The android had to admit, the first few times he was terrified. Connor’s screams were straight out of a horror movie, gut-wrenching and fear-inducing. Hank often end up crying right along with him, the emotional shock too much for the android to handle. 

 

In the end, all he could do was hold Connor close as his screams filled the house and possibly seeped into the ears of the neighbors. It was so hard to just sit by and let things run their course. Connor was scared and in so much pain... but he couldn't do anything about it. 

 

Connor stilled in his arms and Hank took a breath, knowing it was only a matter of seconds. The human pushed his face in his neck and Hank could feel the warmth from his break spreading over his skin, making him shiver.  Connors body seized up, fear eating him on the inside. Hank clutched the man tighter to his chest, making his thirium pump beat louder. 

 

Then Connor started screaming. His cries were louder than they usually were, Hank didn't care. He lifted Connor’s body, putting his legs on either side of the androids own body with a bit of difficulty due to the bright green knee cast that limited the man's movement. He brought Connor closer so they were chest to chest, Hank’s breaths encouraging the human’s. Connor continued to scream, even when his head was laid on Hank’s shoulder and felt the android wrap around his body.

 

Hank tried to rub circles into Connor’s back, regardless of the rapid breaths not allowing Connor to be still. Connor’s arms snaked around his neck, holding him tight to his body, seemingly too scared to let him go. Hank let more tears fall from his eyes; it hurt him so much to see Connor so scared. 

 

He felt the man shudder in his hold and let himself believe that his screams would cease sooner rather than later. Connor’s shaking continued as his screams thankfully turned into small sobs. 

 

Hank felt Connor grow heavier as the man leaned down and let himself relax. His muscles slowly became less tense, and he pushed himself further into Hank’s hold. The android brought a hand up to wipe his eyes, trying to push away the tears and put on a brave face for Connor’s sake. 

 

Hank raised his core heat, not enough to put him in danger, but enough to comfort his human. Hank looked to Sumo, who was now rubbing his head against Connor’s shoulder, trying to comfort his distressed owner. On the other side of them, Richy had a paw on Connors lower leg, rubbing his head on the man's ankle, which Hank knew Connor couldn't feel. 

 

He gently grabbed one of Connor’s arms that were wrapped around his neck and placed Connor’s open palm on top of the small cats head so he could listen to the animal pure as it was given the attention that it wanted. He hoped that it would help keep Connor grounded, keep him in the real world. Connor let out a small sigh as his breath started to steady and his sobs quieted. Hank ran his other hand gently up and down the human’s arm, smiling as he felt goosebumps rise along the way. It was comforting for Hank to know that he affected Connor the same way the human affected him. 

 

Connor let out small puffs of air, making Hank shiver again, as his sobs died down into little whimpers. Hank felt the wet spot on his shoulder where Connor’s tears had dripped off of his face and onto the android. Connor pets the animal under his hand affectionately, grateful for the company. 

 

“How are you feeling Con?” 

 

“Hurts, Hank-”

 

“Where?”

 

“Everywhere.” 

 

Hank can only cringe as the love of his life suffers emotionally and physically. Hank knows that all the pain that Connors feels, is in his mind. Right now, Connor doesn't know that and Hank knows that he can't make him understand when he is in this state. He can't do anything about it, and he  _ hates _ it. 

 

Hank hates when he is not in control. Maybe it’s the android in him that likes to control every part of a situation, especially when it comes to Connor. Part of keeping Connor safe is staying in control and keeping Connor as his main priority.

 

Hank’s hands strayed to the man’s back, only to have him flinch away. If the android didn't know any better, he would have felt hurt that Conor flinched away from his touch. But he knew that Connor believed he was in actual pain right now, it didn't matter who was touching him. 

 

“Where do you hurt the most, Con? I can try to make it better.” 

 

Connor only nods in response, trusting Hank to make everything better. One of his shaky hands reaches out to grab the hand that is currently not rubbing his arm in comfort and brings it down to his left calf, which Hank knows he can't really feel. “Right there,” he whispers. 

 

Hank slowly rubs the spot, remembering the big bruise that once sat there; it did look quite painful at the time. Connor’s body starts to relax again into Hanks' chest, the pain that once tensed his entire body now fading, thanks to Hank’s gentle touching. 

 

“How does that feel? Better?” Connor nodded but Hank didn't stop moving his hand on Connor’s leg. If it brought Connor any type of comfort, he would do it all night long. Connor’s hands tightened on the man's sleep shirt, trying to get closer, even though there was physically no way to do so. 

 

It took some pushing and some soft, gentle words to get Connor to lay back down again. Hank continued to run his hands over Connor’s body; he was amazed as the tense muscles relaxed under his hands. He loved that he was the only one who could make Connor feel like this. 

 

Hank loved how small Connor was under him. It made him want to take care of his partner and make sure he was on the right path. Hank knew Connor did not take care of himself without him around, and that only made the android want to control him more. Hank didn't know why, but the thought of overpowering the small human really calmed him, even though he was aware that Connor would probably think of that to be ‘creepy’. Lately, Connor had told him a lot of things that he did could be considered creepy. 

 

However, being able to get Connor to relax in the worst of times was even more pleasing to him. He loved that he was the only one who could calm Connor down when he was anxious or scared. He loved that he got to support Connor in a way that no one else knew how. No one could talk him down from one of his episodes like the android could. Hank got to see the intimate parts of his life that no one else got to see, and he was honored to be that person for his partner.

 

Hank brought Connor’s body close to him, his face snuggled in the androids chest and his arms holding his waist. Hank loved being in Connor’s embrace, feeling the natural warmth over his own artificial skin. Connor was still pretty shaken up, fear running rampant through his veins. Hank wanted nothing more than to whisk him over to a place where Connor didn't have to worry about anything, although he knew that was impossible. 

 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Hank asked, even though he already knew the answer. 

 

“No, it's just the same as all the other ones. You get kidnapped, and I don't save you in time, and then you die. Every night it's the same,” Connor sounded so broken that it made Hank want to cry again. He may be CyberLife's greatest android ever made, but he couldn't change human perception and human dreams, no matter how much he wanted to. 

 

Hank pulled the man away from his chest just enough so that he could look him in the eyes. “That will never, ever happen again, Connor. I promise you that no one will ever hurt either of us ever again. I swear.” Connor let a small smile fill his face as he nodded slowly into the bed sheets, moving forward so he could bury his face in the android's chest again.

 

Hank knew he could possibly be telling a lie. In their line of work, danger like that was always a possibility, and there isn't much Hank could do to prevent another tragedy. He wanted the world to be safe for his family, but at this point in time, that just wasn't what could be seen in the near future... or even in the distant future. 

  
All Hank could do was hope that tomorrow would be better. Little did he know, tomorrow was actually going to get  _ worse. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this one took a bit longer! I am also writing something else at the moment So I'm trying to divide my time evenly. 
> 
> Also, I finally got a beta reader!! Please please PLEASE go check out LadyAmalthea, she is such a huge sweetheart and her writing is so amazing!! I have never read something of hers that I didn't love! So go look at her work, toss her a couple kudos because of she sure as hell deserves them! So honestly made this chapter so much better and easier to understand. Thanks again!!
> 
> So hopefully this chapter is written better than the rest, I hope you all like it!
> 
> Let me know if you have any ideas on what could happen next!! Thank you for reading, I hope you like it and please let me know what you think!! Have a good day!!


	15. Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this one took so long!!!

 

After the nightmare, the night went along normally for the most part. Hank was still getting used to waking up with Connor's face stuffed into his chest, not that he was bothered by it. Hank absolutely  _ loved  _ holding Connor in his arms. He loved being able to feel the contrast from his own, heavier body compared to Connor’s small frame. 

 

He loved the way that Connor would complain about having to get up and try to get Hank to stay in bed by just holding him down; sometimes it worked, but not today.

 

“Come on Connor, you have to get up. I’m making waffles,” and that always seemed to do the trick. The man loved waffles, especially the way Hank made them. He added just a bit too much milk so that they were overly fluffy and soft. Hank learned that Connor loved the feeling of soft things, which would explain why he liked to use so much conditioner. 

 

Connor grumbled as he rolled out of bed, forgetting once again, that he had no use of his legs. He hit the floor loudly, sending Hank running into the room looking fearful. Connor laid on his back facing the ceiling with one of his arms draped over his eyes. “I forgot again,” he grumbled when he heard Hank gasp. 

 

Hank couldn't help but chuckle lightly, Connor did look good in that position. His chest was bare to the open air above him, making little bumps rise on the sensitive skin. His stomach was looking more full each day, so Hank loved when Connor would walk around without a shirt, showing his improvement. Many of his scars were mostly healed as well. However, Hank knew that any new ones would be hidden under the five thick bracelets he wore on his left wrist. 

 

The sun was hitting the man's body just right, casting shadows and highlights across the body which he loved. Connor’s boxers were holding tightly onto his thighs, which were beginning to return to a normal size well. The comforter that had fallen off the bed was draped across Connors' legs, hiding the bright green casts beneath. Connor looked normal again, unharmed, and the sight made Hank’s chest feel warmer. 

 

He didn't think Connor looked bad by any means. He loved how different Connor was from everyone else and how unique he really was. Connor hated it though. He hated being different. He had told Hank how much he hated how small his body was, and his legs that were now broken and useless. 

 

He often referred to himself as ugly, which the android strongly disagreed with every time he said it. He would tell Connor how he was the most beautiful man he knew and that he loved the way he looked. That usually made Connor blush, a reaction Hank loved to see. He liked knowing that just his words created a physical response in his partner’s body. 

 

“Are you gonna help me or just stand there?” 

 

Hank snapped out of his thoughts to realize he had just been staring at Connor’s body while leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. He let himself laugh again before making his way to his downed partner. He kneeled down so that his knees were to the side of Connor’s body but his arms on the other side. His arms boxing in the human’s head, so that his face was right above Connor’s. 

 

“I’m sorry, I just couldn't help myself. Had to have a second so I could take in the view.” Hank had a goofy smile on his face and his eyes were connected to Connor’s own. The human’s face became red from embarrassment, a blush of course. Hank could feel Connor’s body becoming warm under his own, he adored when Connor’s body reacted to him.

 

Instead of getting up so he could bring Connor to his feet, he stayed in place on his knees. A soft smile was still plastered on his face, having no reason for it to fall. Connor had a sly smirk on his face as he stared right back at the android. Hank leaned down a bit, his mouth coming into contact with Connor’s. 

 

Their eyes both slipped closed as their mouths connected; Hank brought his hand to gently brush across Connor’s cheek, loving the soft feeling under his fingers. Connor’s hand gently brushed through Hank’s hair which had yet to be tied back in a bun. Hank loved kissing the human, it made all of his circuits come alive. He knew without looking that his LED was spinning a brilliant blue.

 

Hank broke the kiss, knowing this was not the place or time to continue. Connor let out a cute little laugh that Hank could only describe as a giggle, even though he knew Connor hated when he referred to his laughs like that. The android leaned down and left another peck to Connor’s lips before getting back onto his knees and then up to his feet. 

 

Giving Connor another goofy smile, the android picked up the blanket off the floor and tossed it onto the bed in a heap again. He leaned back down and lifted Connor up from the floor, one arm under his shoulders and the other under his knees, careful of the cast there. With little effort, he brought the human into his arms, causing him to laugh, one of Hank’s favorite sounds. 

 

He spun Connor around in his arms, causing him to smile wide and tighten his arms around. Once Hank was done spinning him, Connor brought one of his hands from around Hank's neck to rest on his cheek. The human leaned up, bringing Hank’s lips to his own in a gentle kiss. Hank felt Connor smile into the kiss, realizing that,  he too, was smiling like an idiot. They soon parted, much to Hank’s dismay. Their faces both held goofy faces, Connor looked like a mix of tired, happy and drunk, and Hank thought that expression looked lovely on him. 

 

Connor tightened his hold as Hank turned to walk out of the room, “How about we check your legs, and then I’ll make you breakfast. How's that sound?” Connor nodded sheepishly, tucking his head into the android's neck. Hank avoided both Sumo, who tried to jump up and lick Connor’s face and Richy who liked to lay in the middle of the floor directly in the way. 

 

He carefully maneuvered around Connor’s wheelchair, which was positioned right beside the couch. The android gently placed him onto the couch, with his head rested against one of the throw pillows that Hank decided to decorate with. Hank placed a light peck on Connor’s forehead before backing up to give him a light smile, “You know the drill, let me know if you feel anything.” Connor nodded, letting his eyes slip closed and his head to lean back against the pillows. 

 

Hank placed his hands on Connor’s mid-thighs, ghosting his fingers around the thigh to the back, even though he knew there was nothing to find. He moved as far down as he could before being interrupted by the cast that encased his knee. He made sure to cover all the space necessary, he knew that Connor could feel that area just as much as he could the rest of his body. However, he also knew that Connor was quite ticklish due to his sensitive skin. 

 

He could feel Connor’s thighs shake and when he looked up to the beautiful face he had come to love, a small smirk rested on his lips and his eyes were still closed. Every time Hank moved his hands in a certain way, Connors eyes would scrunch up and his smile would grow. Hank chuckled to himself before moving his hands from Connor’s upper legs. 

 

His fingers grazed across the cast before the met his shin. Hank moved both hands to Connor’s right foot, gently brushing his fingers across the skin there. He started with the bottom of his foot, making sure that he had touched ever spot so that he made sure he didn't miss any possible area for sensation. He moved onto the top of the foot doing the same there. He knew that if it weren't for the given circumstances, this would be considered a massage, an activity often performed by couples that often led to more intimacy. 

 

Sadly, Connor couldn't feel what he was doing, he hoped someday that he would though. Soon enough, he moved to Connor’s ankle, right above the bone that sticks out from the area. Everything was very routine, sometimes Hank would spend more time on one area, massaging it and hoping that just his touch would be able to bring back the feeling in Connor’s body. Sadly that's not how this worked. 

 

It was all very normal, just the same as every day until suddenly, it wasn't. 

 

“Hank, wait,” The android immediately stopped his movements, afraid that Connor noticed some type of danger in the room like maybe someone had snuck in their house and was now right behind him, or maybe Sumo was chewing on something he shouldn't be. Hank did a scan of the environment which only took about two milliseconds to complete, but he was more confused now than he was before. There were no other life forms on the whole property (including the backyard), besides the four that lived there. Sumo was resting in the corner on his bed, nothing in his mouth and Richy was on the armchair basking in the sun that shined there.

 

When Hank looked up at Connor, the man's eyes were wide as he stared at the ceiling above him. “Connor, what's wrong?” Hank whispered, what did Connor know that he didn't? Was there some sixth sense   Connor had that Hank had no knowledge of? Connor was still silent and almost scared-looking. 

 

On instinct, Hank rubbed the part of Connor’s leg he was already holding, hoping to calm him, forgetting that the man had no sensation in that part of his body. “HANK! I can feel that!!” Connor’s face lit up. The man looks like he was absolutely shining in happiness. He was so happy that tears had come to his eyes. Hank was shocked. He could feel again? Hank didn't even know if it was actually possible for the feeling to come back but it definitely had.

 

“You can feel this?” Hank asked, a smile of his own filling his face. Connor nodded happily, wiping away some of the tears that fell from his face. Hank though for a moment and quickly traced a ‘4’ into the newly revived leg. “What number did I just draw Con?” Connor was silent for a moment thinking, “Do it again,” He demanded. 

 

Hank quickly repeated the movement, tracing the number once again. He watched as Connor’s eyes lit up in realization, “Four!” He screamed. Hank jumped up from his spot at the foot of the couch, pulling Connor into his arms. He could feel Connor sobbing into his arms, happy tears opposed to the regular fearful or pained ones. 

 

Hank could feel the wetness falling down onto his shoulder from the man's face, “I can...feel it, H-Hank. I can f-feel my leg,” Hank held tighter, rubbing large circles onto Connor’s back underneath his shirt, Connor preferred skin-to-synthetic-skin contact. Hank felt a few tears of his own fall down his face, it made him so happy to see his boyfriend happy enough that it drove him to tears. Connor’s breathing had become ragged as he tried to get in the air between his sobs. Hank made sure his own breathing was even so that Connor would be able to copy it. 

 

It took a couple of minutes, but eventually, Connor calmed down enough that his breathing became regular enough for Hank’s liking, and Connor’s sobs had become quiet enough that he could hardly hear them. “Are you okay Con?” Hank whispered while rubbing his hands through Connor’s thick hair. He felt Connor nod against his chest and his smile could only widen. 

 

Hank pulled Connor's head away from his chest so that he could look him in the eyes. “Let's see how much you can feel okay?” Connor nodded again, looking so amazing his mouth stuck up in a beautiful smile, regardless of the tears running down his face. Hank brought his face to the human’s, leaving a light peck to the human's mouth and then both cheeks and finally, his forehead. 

 

Hank kneeled back down on the floor, near Connor’s legs. He slowly brought his hand to sit gently on top of Connor’s cast. Hank made sure to keep an eye on Connor's face, still smiling, watching his face to tell him what the man was thinking. He let his hand slowly guide down the cast and let one of his fingers touch the skin that the cast wasn't covering. 

 

Connor nodded without being asked the question, he could feel it. Hank continued to trace the finger down Connor’s leg, watching his face intensely. Hank made it all the way down to the middle of Connor’s foot before the human spoke, “I can only feel down to my foot.” Hank felt his processors stutter as he saw Connors beautiful smile drop and his eyes start to soften.

 

As soon as Hank saw the pout pulling on Connor's face, he jumped up and grabbed both sides of Connor's face in his hands gently.  “No no no no, Connor don't be sad, please baby, you can feel part of it that's so amazing!! Don't cry Con, this is great news!” Hank’s voice sounded panicked, and he realized that seeing Connor cry did bring quite a panicked feeling to his mind

 

Connor tried to smile, Hank could see that he tried, but it seemed like that man couldn't hold back as a sob tumbled out of his lips. Hank brought the human to his chest again and held the man while he cried. Hank kissed the top of his head multiple times while Connor cried. Hank wanted to destroy the man who hurt Connor like this, the man who left him in this state. 

 

He hated to see Connor cry, and that seemed to be a lot of what was going on lately. Suddenly, Connor arm came up and gripped onto Hanks tightly, “H-Hank, can you quickly do the other leg please, I just want to know,” Hank nodded at Connor’s words, he understood the human wanting to get it over with, it must be pretty scary to not know something so important. 

 

Hank quickly reached over to Connor’s legs but made sure he stayed by Connor’s side. He quickly trailed his hand from the tip of Connors toes to the bottom of his cast. The android looked back to see more tear falling down Connor’s already wet face. No words were needed to describe what Connor felt, Hank knew. No feeling had returned to that leg. 

 

He rocked Connor back and forth, letting the man cry as much as he needed. After a couple of minutes, Hank got an idea. He slowly grabbed the arms that had wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled them back to sit in Connor’s lap. He watched Connors red, sad face turn to one of confusion. Hank sat on the end of the couch and brought the foot that now had feeling into his lap. 

 

He used his finger to trace random patterns into the skin between the top of Connor’s foot and the bottom of the cast. He continued to trace random patterns and write random numbers until he saw a smile slowly make its way onto Connor’s face. He traced Connor’s name into the skin, causing Connor to let out a small giggle. 

 

Next, he drew a smiley face and then made a funny face of his own, causing Connor to laugh. Finally, he drew two hearts beside each other. When he looked up, the smile he loved so much had returned. Out of all of the things that he could do, making Connor happy was his favorite. 

 

Connor reached his hand forward, motioning Hank to join him again. Hank brought the human into his arms, kissing all over his face and down his neck, tickling Connor to the point where his laughs were sounding throughout the entire house. He loved making Connor laugh, it brought him so much to joy to see Connor enjoying life. 

 

After a couple minutes of fighting Connor with his kisses, Hank lifted him slightly so he could sit on the couch with the man in his lap. Once Connor had calmed down, he laid his head against Hank’s chest, listening to the thirium pump beating away. The android leaned down and left a long kiss on the curly locks. He used one hand to bring up Connor’s chin to face him. 

 

“Baby, please don't be upset. I know its hard and I know you're scared. But trust me when I tell you that any progress is good, no matter how small. You will heal, and you will get better, and I will be there every step of the way.” Connor let another tear slip from his eye, but from the soft smile on his face, Hank could tell that it wasn't something to worry about. 

 

“I know Hank. Thank you for being here with me,” Connor leaned up and connected his lips with the android's. The kiss was full of love and passion. Hank had no idea that a kiss could hold so much emotion and deep understanding. Before he became deviant, he had no idea why humans found it alluring or attracting to put one's mouth on another. 

 

Now though, Hank completely understood. When he kissed Connor, he felt like the world was sat in his palm, that everything else didn't matter. The only things that were important were right there in front of him. Every time he kissed Connor he felt brand new; like a new world had opened up for him. Hank loved it, he loved kissing Connor. The fact that he could kiss his boyfriend whenever he wanted was enough to make all of his circuits explode inside of him. 

 

The android searched his databases trying to find words to describe how he felt about the man. He came up with nothing that properly describes his feelings. His top priority was to always take care of Connor and keep him as safe as possible. It felt like his life was completely dependent on Connor’s continued survival. If Connor somehow died, the thought itself made Hank’s stress level rise to thirty percent, Hank was sure he would self destruct. 

 

Hank didn't know if all humans felt like this when they were in love, but when he thought about it, he didn't think anyone could ever love someone as much as he loved Connor. He hoped that Connor felt the same. He didn't know if Connor was ready to say that to him, but then he knew, he was more than ready. He slowly leaned back, separating his lips from Connor’s.

 

“Con, I just want you to know that you don't have to say it back, but I need today too. I really like you, Connor, like I really really like you, Connor. I … I love you, I love you so so much. I never want to leave your side, I want to be with you all day the time and I want to keep you safe. I have no idea what would happen to me if something happened to you. I don't know much about emotions Con, but I know for a fact that I love you. I. Love. You.”

 

Hank felt wetness falling down his face and realized he was crying. He wasn't exactly sure what he was crying about. He thought about it for a moment, trying to search for what this emotion he was feeling was. However, when he looked down at Connors unreadable face, he knew what he was feeling. Nervousness. 

 

What if he had just ruined everything? What if Connor didn't think of him like that yet? What if this was too soon? What if- 

 

Hank didn't even get to finish his thought as Connor grabbed his neck and brought him down for another kiss. It was just a quick peck, but that was enough for Hank. When they parted, He saw a small sly smile on Connors' face. His eyes were the beautiful dark brown that Hank loved, the exact color of Connors eyes becoming his new favorite. Connor ran a hand through the light gray of Hanks' hair as he removed the ponytail so e could freely touch all the strands of hair. Their eyes met again and Hank couldn't help but smile. 

 

“I love you too, Hank,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope its good! I had to change my storyline a bit! I was originally going to have a pretty heavy chapter this time around but decided to put something softer into separate two heavy-ish events. Also while I was writing this just happened, it wasn't planned hah. Anyways, hope you liked it!! Please let me know in the Comments, it really helps me with the motivation to write. 
> 
> Thanks again to LadyAmalthea for turning my copper into gold :) Check her out she is so amazing! Much love for her!


	16. Setback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight self-harm trigger warning, not well described for my reader's comfort but it's still there

Hank had only been gone for an hour to go shopping and pay a visit to Connor’s doctor. However, when he returned, he knew something was wrong as if the time he was gone had been enough for something to drastically change within the household. 

 

He was hesitant to leave since Connor had such a hard time the past few days. However, Connor insisted and told him it would be okay for him to get out for a couple hours. He had reminded the android that he was a grown man who was able to take care of himself. Hank didn't feel right leaving him all alone but didn't want to make the man think he didn't trust him to take care of himself, he was a full grown adult after all. 

 

Little did he know how much he would come to regret leaving Connor home alone for that hour. 

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

After finding the success that was Connor’s new ability to feel farther down his leg, the two decided to celebrate with a good breakfast. About twenty minutes later, Connor had three scrambled eggs, seven pieces of bacon and four slices of toast with jam sitting in front of him. He shot a glance at Hank who was sat in the dining room chair beside him. The human's mouth was slightly ajar in shock. 

 

“There is no way I’ll be able to eat all of that, Hank.”

 

“Just try, you’re doing really good with your weight and we need to make sure it keeps climbing. Need to keep you healthy.” 

 

Connor held eye contact with Hank and saw only the love and adoration in the bright blue abyss. He brought his attention back down to the plate in front of him and let a smirk take over his face. He had an idea. He whipped his head back to the android, causing the devilish smirk on Hank’s face falters slightly at the sight of Connor’s own confident expression. 

 

“Hank that's so much, I don't think I can”

 

“Try,” Hank whispered as he stood from his chair to circle Connor’s chair and land a kiss on the man's unruly curls. “Or I'll have to feed you myself,” He smirked while wrapping his arms around the human’s body to give his upper half a hug from behind. He leaned down and began leaving open-mouthed kisses all over Connor’s neck and shoulder, causing the skin to redden and a breathy gasp to leave Connor’s mouth. 

 

Connor turned his head to look at the android’s, and through the smirk that rested there, he could tell that Hank was indeed, not joking. He chuckled to himself, deciding to play along with the android’s games. “I dare you,” The human said cockily, narrowing his eyes at the figure above him. If Hank offered to feed him, Connor wasn't going to disagree. Now with the idea stuck in his head, he was going to encourage it. 

 

Hank couldn't contain the small laugh that tumbled out of his mouth. He thought the only reason he would ever have to actually feed the man would be when he was being stubborn or refusing to eat. Never did he think that Connor would  _ want _ him to feed him. Connor honored his independence, hardly ever asked for help with anything. He still tried to get around the house by himself sometimes, even though he knew he needed help. 

 

Hank didn't think that Connor would actually want to take him up on his offer of feeding him, though he was prepared to do so if the human refused to eat. Did Connor actually like being fed, or was he just trying to give Hank as much of a hard time as possible?

 

“You made all of this delicious food Hank, it would be a shame for it to go to waste, but I couldn't possibly make myself eat it all. Do you think you could do better?” 

 

Hank understood now, Connor was purposely trying to challenge him, show him who was boss. Hank may sometimes think that he has the upper hand, but he knew that he was wrapped so tightly around Connor’s little finger there was no chance of escape. Connor was trying to show him that, even though Hank is bigger and stronger, Connor held the reins here. However, Hank always accomplished his mission; he would make absolutely sure that Connor ate every crumb on that plate. Connor was going to find out how seriously Hank took his missions. The human was going to regret challenging an android like this. 

 

The android leaned close to Connor's face, now standing to his side instead of behind, their noses just centimeters from touching. He kept the confident smirk on his face, trying to intimidate the man below him. “I'm not sure you understand what you're getting yourself into Mr. Anderson, I will make sure you eat  _ everything  _ on that plate, no excuses. All of it, plus a bottle of water,” The android’s eyes strayed to the clock on the other side of the room. “All finished within the next hour, so I can go meet with the doctor that you refuse to see.”

 

Connor didn't say anything for a moment, thinking about what Hank had said. Three eggs, seven pieces of bacon, four pieces of toast and a glass of water in an hour. That was A LOT of food for Connor, especially since not even three months ago, he had been living on a granola bar or two, endless alcohol and an unending amount of cigarettes to last him a week. 

 

The meal in front of him was much different; actual food, and a lot of it. He didn't want Hank to be right, but he knew that the android would try his absolute hardest to make sure he finished everything in the time span. Connor narrowed his eyes again, keeping eye contact with the android. He nodded once, showing that he accepted.

 

Hank smirked again, sitting in the chair beside the human and grabbing the fork already set on the table. He piled a piece of scrambled egg on the fork and brought it up to Connor’s mouth. 

 

“Open up, Babe”

  
  
  


 

Forty-five minutes later, the plate was surprisingly empty and Connor was slumped in his chair, groaning under his breath. Connor had one arm up and covering his stomach protectively. He leaned his head back and squeezed his eyes closed at the pain in his stomach. 

 

Hank couldn't tear his eyes away from Connors mid-section. His stomach was distended ever so slightly from the food Hank had given him. Hank busied himself with cleaning the dishes, having to force himself to bring his eyes away from the bulged flesh. He couldn't quite understand why, but he really liked Connor looking that way. 

 

Besides the fact that it was closer to making the human’s body look like it was a normal weight, Hank just loved the way he looked. He liked knowing that his care was able to fill up Connor’s belly with food. The android found that his feelings about the whole situation were quite odd, and he didn't know what name to put to the emotions. 

 

He looked back to Connor to see the man rubbing his slightly bigger stomach. He enjoyed knowing that he was the one to make Connor look like that and made him feel that way. He smiled slightly to himself; taking care of Connor was his favorite thing to do, it would be the only job he would ever do if possible. It brought him so much joy to bring the man happiness and to see him getting better. 

 

Hank made his way back over to Connor’s back, wrapping his arms around the chair and then brought them carefully to rest on top of the small bump in Connor’s front, causing a pained groan to slip from Connor’s mouth. He leaned in and placed a small kiss on Connor’s cheek. Leaning back slightly to rest his head against the side of Connor’s, he nuzzled his nose into Connor’s cheek. 

 

“How do you feel, Con?”

 

“Like I’m going to explode,” Connor whispered, leaning into Hank’s touch. It warmed Hank’s artificial heart to know that just his presence brought Connor comfort. The android let out an airy laugh, Connor could be so dramatic sometimes. He did start it though, he wanted Hank to feed him, and who was Hank to deny him that?

 

“I’m almost positive that you are not going to explode,” Hank laughed while pulling away from the man and pulled the chair out from the table with no difficulty. 

 

“Do you want to go to the couch or to bed? I’ll only be about an hour,” Connor thought about it for a moment, looking up at Hank with hooded eyes, looking quite tired. 

 

“Couch,” He whispered. Connor held up his arms and wrapped them around the android’s neck. He pulled himself forwards slightly on the chair so that he was barely sitting on it. Hank bought his hands down to grip Connor’s upper thighs. When he had them gripped tightly, he easily lifted Connor from the chair and took the short walk to the living room, sitting Connor on the soft couch. He pushed Connor’s shoulder lightly, making him lay down on the less-than-desirable material. The android pulled the thick blanket from the top of the couch, laying it gently over Connor, then made sure that the throw pillow under the man's head was to his liking. 

 

He leaned down and set a kiss on the man's lips, receiving only a quiet hum in return. The man was almost already asleep, Hank loved watching Connor sleep, he would watch him during his whole nap if he could, but sadly he needed to talk to Connor’s doctor, and go get groceries. 

 

He reached his hand out to run through Connor’s hair before letting go and heading to the door, “I'll be back soon Con, sleep well,” He whispered. 

  
  


\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The trip to the doctor had been quite informative, he was almost embarrassed that he hadn't known most of it beforehand. The doctor mainly just told him some things to note while also updating Connor’s file on his condition. He told Hank once again that he needed to get Connor in for an appointment so he could do an actual assessment on the man. 

 

Hank knew this of course, but every time he brought it up, Connor would get very angry and it often ended up in a large fight. However, Hank was sure he could get Connor into the doctor if he really begged him. He also told the android that in two weeks, Connor would be able to come in to get the cast off, where he would probably do the physical assessment and get to have a personal talk with the man. 

 

He also mentioned that there was a machine that they could use for Connor’s sleep apnea so that Hank would not have to spend the night monitoring Connor’s breathing. However, when Hank alerted the man to the fact that they were now in a relationship, they both decided that it would not be necessary. 

 

They talked a bit about Connor’s seizures, he learned many tips about how to monitor Connor’s seizures, aftercare, and how to keep Connor safe if he ended up having a seizure in public or somewhere they did not have access to a bed or something of the sort. 

 

“He doesn't drive, does he? You know, when his legs aren't broken,” The doctor asked. Hank explained that he had driven to the crime scene where he was taken. The doctor’s face cringed slightly, just that told Hank that it was something they should not be doing. The doctor alerted him that Connor was not allowed to drive at all until he hadn't had a seizure for three years, especially if he was alone. 

 

Hank thought that maybe if he learned ways to tell when Connor was about to have a seizure, he could allow the man to drive and just make sure to have Connor pull over before it started. Hank knew that would be unsafe though. If Connor had one while they were around many other cars, it would endanger many lives, including Connor’s, and Hank would never put him in danger. 

 

Hank just felt guilty, he knew how much Connor loved his independence and lately it had been getting take away from him. Even though Hank loved getting to take care of the man and driving him around was something he loved to do. However, he knew that Connor would hate it, and felt bad that he would have to break the news to him. Three years was a long time to have to depend on someone else for. 

 

Dr. Warren had also mentioned that he wanted to check on Connor’s medication. Hank had never actually seen Connor take any medication besides his inhaler and when he brought up that fact to the doctor, the man just shook his head and told Hank they would talk about it when Connor was there. 

 

Thankfully, getting groceries was a much easier task. It only took about twenty minutes for Hank to gather all of the necessary ingredients for very high-calorie, but healthy meals. He had already planned out a few meals over the next couple days, focusing around some vitamins and nutrients that the doctor had mentioned Connor should get more of. Connor had gratefully not charged Hank any type of rent, so everything he had made after the Android revolution was still saved up, which he used for things such as this. 

 

The thought occurred to Hank then that sooner rather than later, he was going to have to return to work. Which would leave Connor home alone all day with only their pets to be there for him. The thought worried Hank to no end, would Connor be okay on his own? Hank didn't know, but he hoped that by the time he went back Connor would at least be a bit more mobile, and then he could start dealing with emotional trauma. Fowler had been very stern with Hank, telling him that Connor had to be physically able, and had to deal with his emotional trauma until he could return to the force.

 

Hank understood why, but he wished Connor could go back to work right now. He hated working without the man. He always felt more secure working with Connor, he knew he was safe and knew his boyfriend was safe, they always had each other’s back. Hank didn't trust anyone to keep him safe and he didn't trust anyone to keep Connor safe, besides himself of course. 

 

Hank hadn't realized until he pulled up into the driveway, how much he missed Connor when he was gone. Just sitting in the car, he felt his heart pulling him back to the heart of the one he loves. He couldn't wait to get back in the house and hold Connor in his arms. He wanted to kiss him and hold him and tell the man how much he loved him. Connor deserved so much, and Hank wants to give everything he could. 

 

He felt himself smiling at the thought of Connor’s light body in his arms. He swore he could almost feel the weight already, Connor resting in his arms or in his lap. It was comforting, feeling the weight of the man he loved. He loved feeling Connor’s breath, feeling his chest rising and falling under him. He loved to put his hand in the middle of Connor’s chest and feel it move. The human body still amazed him and he loved it. 

 

He took a moment to think about the man in the house waiting for him. When he went in, Connor would be laying on the couch, still sleeping probably. If he was awake, he would lean up on the couch and make room for the android behind him. He would lean back against Hank’s larger body, and nuzzle into the man's chest, allowing Hank to hold him close as he drifts off the sleep again. 

 

Hanks' face was split in a huge smile, he couldn't wait any longer. He quickly stepped out of the car and slammed the door behind him. He grabbed the four bags from the back and began walking up to the front door. He quickly unlocked it and pushed the door open. He smiled towards the couch when he realized something was very very wrong. 

 

Connor wasn't sitting on the couch  _ at all _ . 

 

Where on Earth could the man have gone? He’s partially paralyzed! It's not like he could just head out for a walk or something like that all on his own; he needed help with things like that,  and Connor’s wheelchair was still sitting in the kitchen where Hank had left it, untouched. Connor could barely travel a few feet on his own, his lack of nutrition made it almost impossible for him to have the strength to crawl around the house, dragging his legs behind him. 

 

Hank looked to Sumo, who sat on the couch, occupying the space where Connor once sat. Richy was in the large armchair that sat beside the couch, it was seldom used so Richy could usually be found there. Both of them were comfortable in their seats, looking like they were asleep, which told Hank it had been a while since anyone had disturbed the room. 

 

Hank quickly ran to the couch, laying his hand down on the cushions. They are cold, showing that they had been unused for quite a while. “Connor?” He called into the room. He knew he should be going amongst the rooms, looking for his boyfriend, but at the same time, he was terrified. He was scared that he didn't know where Connor was or if he was hurt. 

 

Hank didn't like to admit that he was afraid of anything. He was the best and most efficient android that Cyberlife had ever created, he should have no fears. Everything should  _ fear him,  _ there was no reason for the android to be afraid. However, Hank would always admit that he was afraid of losing Connor. He didn't know if anything else really scared him, but he knew for a fact that he was scared that Connor would be hurt or injured. 

 

When he received no reply, he decided to turn up the sensitivity of his auditory components. He heard a noise coming from elsewhere in his house, the sound made him want to cry. Little whimpering and cries could be heard coming from the back of the house. Connor was crying? What was he crying about? Was he hurt? 

 

Unable to control himself any longer, he rushed to the bedroom door. He put his ear to the door and decided that the noise was not coming from the bedroom itself.  He opened the door and looked in just in case he was wrong. The room looked mostly the same as it was this morning. All except for the small table beside Connor’s side of the bed, which was in quite a  disarray. The drawer was left open and the usual items that took up space in it were moved around and scattered; usually, it was quite organized, but now it was very messy. 

 

The inhaler that was usually sat on top of the table had been pushed to the floor and the water bottle that had been there this morning was laying on its side on the table. 

 

The picture that Connor had treasured so closely to his heart, of his brother and himself, was also askew. The frame was face down on the table, the back had been taken off of the front of the frame, leaving the standing part on the other side of the table. The picture itself was sitting on top of the front of the fame but not exactly in the place, it would need to be.

 

Hank thought it was rather strange, what would cause the picture frame to actually be taken apart? All the parts were here, so why would anyone need to take it apart? Hank was ashamed to think that he couldn't find a reason for everything to be the way it was. He realized that he had still not located the lifeform that was his partner. Connor was still nowhere to be seen. 

 

Quickly retreating from the room, he placed his ear against the bathroom door. The cries were definitely louder than they had been earlier. He let out a sigh of relief, at least Connor was still here, he hadn't been taken away again. Hank felt his chest tighten at the thought. He wanted to open the door and rush in. He wanted to cradle Connor in his arms and kiss away his cries. 

 

However, Connor loved having his own privacy, it was a boundary that he made sure to lay out when the two started their relationship, and it wasn't a line that Hank wanted to cross unless he had to. He took in a quick breath and let it out just as fast, “Connor? Are you okay?” The cries only got louder and Hank felt his stomach clench. 

 

“I'm o-o-o-okay, g-go away, please!” Connor certainly didn't sound it, his voice sounded strained, riddled with pain and sadness. Hank couldn't help that his worry was climbing. The man sounded very not well and Hank had no idea what he could do about it. He didn't want to intrude on Connor’s privacy, but what if it was a dangerous situation? What if Connor needed help, but was too stubborn to accept that he needed it? That was a very Connor thing to do. Connor was most certainly crying, Hank just needed to know why.

 

“Connor you don't sound okay. I'm going to come in, all right?” 

 

“No! N-n-no I’m fin-” 

 

Connors' voice was cut off with a large thump coming from the room. It sounded like he had fallen, but that's not possible, is it? Connor could not be standing, so how could he fall? Hank couldn't wait anymore, Connor needed his help, even if the human wouldn't admit it, and Hank wasn't just going to stand outside the door when Connor needed him. 

 

Hank pushed the door open, and the minute his eyes landed on Connor’s body, he wished that androids had the ability to be sick. There was blood  _ all over the room.  _ Connor was laying in the middle of the room on the white tile floor. His blood shined brightly, a large contrast to the floor beneath him. A few spots of blood were on the walls to Connors right, slightly dripping down the tile wall. 

 

The blood smeared all over the floor, it looked like he had dragged himself through it multiple times. Connor was laying on his back, his eyes opening and closing very slowly. His head was facing away from the door to the tile wall on the other side of the room. His arms were laid at his sides and Hank spotted more blood coming from the human's hand. 

 

After he got over the initial shock, Hank rushed over to his boyfriend on the floor, falling to his knees immediately and cradling Connor’s head and chest in his arms. “Connor?! Oh my God, what happened? Where is all that blood coming from?? Connor, I need you to talk to me  okay?” He felt a small bump on the back of Connor’s head, which was likely related to the loud thump that Hank had heard through the door.

 

Connor slowly forced his head to lean against Hank’s arm, but no words came out of his mouth. Hank looked over Connor’s body, trying to find a source of the blood. The casts on his legs had smudges of blood over top of the bright green wraps, making heartbreaking dark spots on them. 

 

He raised his eyes a bit higher and noticed deep cuts along Connor’s right thigh and when he continued down his leg, there was more between the cast and his ankle. These ones seemed to be angrier and there was definitely more of them there. Hank knew what those were from and immediately felt the guilt eating him up. He knew he should have looked harder and longer to trying and find the blade that Connor used. He hadn't, and now this was the price he had to pay, Connor was bleeding in his arms because of his own mental instability, and Hank hadn't been there to stop him. 

 

He looked down to Connor’s head, still resting against his chest. Thankfully, the android could see that Connor’s eyes were still open: he was still conscious. He leaned down and placed his lips against the man’s curly hair, shushing him as he began to cry again. 

 

“Oh baby, why are you so insistent on hurting yourself?” Hank whispered while rocking Connor back and forth in his arms. Connor whined high in his throat, trying to make some sounds of acknowledgment. 

 

“I-I just w-w-w-want to f-feel something,” Connors' voice trailed off into sobs again, clutching onto Hank’s shirt with his clean hand. Hank understood what Connor meant. He had compared the pain from his thigh to the pain in his lower leg and must have gotten upset when he couldn’t feel anything, which would explain why the skin on his lower leg had sustained more damage. 

 

Hank looked down to the other hand, which was still blood and clenched in a tight fist. He reached over and slowly pried open Connor’s hand. In Connor’s small palm, was a large removable blade from a pocket knife. It was covered in blood, and Hank could see darker stains from previous use. He noticed that Connor had cuts over his palm from holding the blade so tightly. 

 

He slowly took the blade from his hand and held it in front of Connor's face. “We are going to get rid of this okay? Then we’ll get you cleaned up, and we are going to have a talk about what you're feeling, okay? We’ll make sure you are never going to feel the need to do this again, okay?”

 

Connors cries began to slow as he stared at the object in front of him. He slowly nodded into Hank’s chest. “I'm s-s-sorry,” He whispered, leaning up to kiss Hank’s chin. Hank let out a soft sigh, resting his cheek on top of Connor’s head. 

  
“Don't be sorry baby, just please,  _ please  _ don't do this again. I’m here, you don't have to do this anymore. I am going to take care of you, I promise,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't believe there will be any more of that type of self-harm after this! I felt it was necessary because of how self-destructive Connor really is. So just so you know, this should definitely be the only time this happens!!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Please leave me a comment to let me know what you thought!! 
> 
> Thank you once again to my beautiful beta-reader, LadyAmalthea, you're the best!
> 
> Hope everyone has a beautiful day!!!


	17. Alternative Treatment

The next few weeks pass by in a blur. Connor and Hank had decided against getting Connor to see a therapist just yet. Connor had been adamant that he did not want to talk to anyone except Hank about his problems. Hank wanted to work harder at convincing him that seeing someone would be beneficial, but every time Connor said that he only wanted to talk to Hank about his problems, it made his thirum pump beat fast. 

 

He was happy that he could be that for the man. He loved that Connor trusted him enough to talk to him about all of his problems. Connor was so important to Hank and he just wanted him to be happy at all times. If talking to Hank made him more comfortable than talking to a therapist, Hank was more than happy to let that happen. 

 

It had been about a week since Connor had gotten his casts off. They did physical therapy together every day, and as a result, Connor had regained all feeling and most functionality of his right leg. However, he still had no feeling from the knee down on his left leg. Neither of them had given up hope just yet though. 

 

They both knew that at some point, Hank was going to have to return to work. They couldn't keep getting paid for doing nothing except sitting at home. Connor was very concerned about being home alone for the whole day, but Hank assured him that Fowler had allowed him at least two breaks per day to come home and check on the still-healing man. 

 

Hank was adjusting his suit in the mirror, his gray hair pulled back into a neat bun at the back of his head. He straightened his tie and gave his reflection a curt nod. His eyes strayed to the bed, where Connor was looking at him from. The man wasn't wearing a shirt, showing off his pale chest. The stubborn strand of hair that never left his face was in its usual position, quite curly today.

 

Connor had a slight smile on his face; he had just woken up, eyes still hooded with fatigue. Hank had intended on not waking up the man so he could sleep in, but Connor was a very light sleeper, it was hard to  _ not  _ wake him even with Hank’s featherlight steps. Hank’s eyes connected with Connor’s through the mirror, allowing a light smirk to appear on his face. 

 

“Hey handsome,” He remarked, turning around to face Connor without the mirror between them. 

 

“Hey Yourself,” Connor’s voice was slightly deeper and gravely, quite different from his usual soft and sweet voice. Hank loved it, it was so different from normal and he loved how Connors' voice sounded when it was deep like that. The android placed one knee down on the bed and leaned down to capture Connor’s lips in a kiss. He brought one of his hands up to hold Connor’s face gently, while the other stayed on the bed to keep him stabilized on the bouncy mattress. 

 

“You excited for your big day?” Connor asked when they separated with a mischievous smirk on his lips. Hank rolled his eyes; Connor knew better than anyone else that they only place he wanted to be was home, taking care of the smaller human. Hank brought his hand around Connor’s waist, pulling him forward slightly so that both of his legs hung off of the bed. 

 

He pulled Connor up so that he was standing on his one good leg, Hanks' hand rested on the left side of Connor’s waist, keeping him standing. 

 

“You know I would much rather be here, with you.” Connor was about three inches shorter than the android, causing Hank to lean down so that he could capture Connor’s lips in a proper kiss again. He kept his hands firmly around the man's waist, making sure not to move too much and cause him to lose his balance. 

 

Connor nodded, reaching up to rest his arms around the android’s neck, helping to hold himself up. When they broke apart, Hank kept his forehead pressed against Connor’s, drinking in his scent. No cologne or any other smell to cover Connor’s natural scent, Hank loved it. The smell reminded him that he was loved and safe, that Connor was safe in his arms, and no one could take him away from him. 

 

Hank reached over to the wall, grabbing the crutches he had gotten after Connor had regained use of his right leg. Connor loved his independence, and getting to move around on his own freely without needing help was something big for him. He loved when Hank carried him, but he also loved getting to make his own decisions and go where he wanted as soon as he wanted to go. 

 

Hank placed the metal crutches under his arms and took a step back, giving Connor freedom to move. “Go sit at the table, babe. I’ll be out in a minute to make you some breakfast,” Hank finally let his hand slide its way down Connor’s arm and moved to the side, leaving the pathway to the door. Connor nodded and tried to hide his face as he stared at the floor and slowly made his way out of the room. Hank could see that Connor’s face was as red as a tomato and a big smile stretched across his face. 

 

Just as he was about to finish getting ready for the day, he was alerted to an incoming call from none other than Captain Fowler. He let out a loud sigh as he allowed himself to answer it cybernetically. 

 

“ _ Captain Fowler, is everything alright?”  _

 

_ “Hank I’m going to need you to come in a bit early, we have a lot of cases and I need all my men to get a head start on them,”  _

 

Hank grimaced to himself. He wasn't even comfortable with coming back to work at all just yet, and now he needed to go in early? On his first day back, Connor’s first day alone. He looked out to the kitchen and saw Connor trying and failing to reach one of his crutches from the dining room chair. He turned back around to look at himself in the mirror. 

 

_ “Captain, I don’t think I’m too comfortable coming in early. Connor still needs my help, I’m not even sure if I should be leaving him alone just yet.” _

 

_ “Hank, he's a fully grown man, not a baby. I’m sorry but I need you to come in, and if you want to keep your job then you need to be here in the next twenty minutes” _

With that, the call was ended and Hank was overcome with dread. He liked his job, he really did. But right now, Connor needed him. This was a really hard time for the man and Hank wanted to support him. Now he only had twenty minutes to get to work, that wasn't even enough to have his long goodbye with Connor. It takes between ten and fifteen minutes to get to work; he was going to have to leave  _ now _ . 

 

The android quickly ran out into the living room, his stomach dropping when he realized he didn't even have time to make Connor a simple breakfast. He ran out to the kitchen and pushed the crutch that Connor was still reaching for with his foot, making it possible for Connor to grab. 

 

Connor smiled as he picked up the crutch and set it against the table, making sure it wouldn't fall before he let it go. When his back was properly against the back of his chair, Hank leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of Connor's head. He stepped back and circled around to see the curly haired man. 

 

“Fowler wants me to come in right now, are you sure you're going to be okay for the day?” He bit his lip as he saw Connor’s smile dipped into a frown before quickly picking back up to hide his disappointment. He knew Hank had no choice in the idea but that didn't mean he had to like it. Connor nodded, keeping his eyes locked on Hank’s deep baby blues. 

 

“Yeah, I’m okay Hank. Have fun with all those schmoozers today,” Hank chuckled at that. He leaned in to kiss Connor again, willing for the moment to carry on, even though he knew he had to go. He pulled open the back door, letting Sumo in from when he let the large dog out this morning. He filled the animals’ food and water bowls before jogging to the front door and slipping on his jacket and shoes. 

 

“Maybe one of these days, I can bring you to work to see everyone again. I’ve been told that they miss you,” Connor chuckled, looking at Richy as he pets him from head to tail, even though he knew Hank didn't like the animal being on the table. 

 

“Yeah, I just can’t  _ wait _ to see Reed. I’ve missed that fucker dearly,” He said dramatically, shooting Hank an amused glare as the android opened the door and stepped over the threshold. 

 

“Oh, I know you have, and make sure you eat something, Connor!” He yelled as he closed the door behind him, making sure Connor had heard the last part. His own artificial stomach twisted because he knew Connor would forget or just simply not feed himself because of the inability to feel hunger. 

 

He could already feel that today was going to be a bad day. 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

As soon as he got to the precinct, exactly twenty minutes after the call with Fowler had ended, he was overwhelmed with all of the officers coming to see him. They were all asking how Connor was doing, and when he was going to be back. The android was fairly surprised; all of the officers seemed to have a large amount of respect for the lieutenant, but Connor had made it seem like he wasn't really close friends with any of them.

 

However, he saw now that Connor was very wrong. All of the officers stood around the android as he updated them on his condition without letting out too many personal details. He told them that the only part of his leg that he still couldn’t feel was below the knee of his left leg, resulting in large smiles around the room. 

 

Even a smile from Fowler, who was watching from his office door (Hank figured that Fowler might have rushed him to come back so fast in part because he might have wanted an update as well), and Reed, who was watching from his desk, pretending to not pay attention. 

 

Hank was delighted, he wished he could show Connor how much everyone missed him. He absolutely had to bring Connor back one time just for a bit, he could really do well with some other people around. After about ten minutes of answering everyone's questions and giving them updates on Connor condition, the android found himself sitting at his desk, going over some files and making sure everything was done properly. 

 

That was how the first half of his shift went. Just a lot of paperwork, with the occasional question referring to his boyfriend. He didn't see why he needed to back at work so soon, it's not like there was a crime scene he needed to investigate. Sure, there was A LOT of paperwork to do, but nothing that specifically needed his attention. He found it extremely unnecessary for Fowler to make him come back before he was even needed. But, he was the boss and there isn't much Hank could do about it. 

 

From the corner of his eye, Hank could see Gavin approaching his deck from the direction of Fowler’s office. He turned his attention away from his terminal to the detective, his interest already peaked. 

 

“Break time, tin can, The boss is giving you forty-five minutes, so you better get your ass in gear,” Reed walked by Hank’s desk without stopping or slowing, heading back to his own across the room. Hank rolled his eyes, they only usually got half-hour breaks, thankfully he was getting forty-five instead. However, it still only gave him fifteen minutes to spend with Connor while the other thirty were spent commuting. 

 

He quickly turned off his terminal and shrugged on his jacket, being careful not to untuck his dress shirt. He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and plucked out the keys, enjoying the jingling sound they made as he moved them around. 

 

“Thanks, Reed,” he called as he hurried out of the bullpen. 

 

“Whatever,” He heard the man say in return. 

 

Hank was basically running toward the car to make sure he got the best out of his extended break. If he sped just slightly on the way home, he could shave off about three minutes of travel time while still being safe. He started up the car and swiftly pulled out of the parking lot. 

 

The trip was uneventful. All Hank could think about was getting home and giving his human the biggest hug and telling him how much he loved him. He was thinking about simple quick recipes to make Connor for lunch, he wanted to make it a bigger meal because he was almost sure that the man didn't eat breakfast, but he just didn't have time today. He would have to make a larger supper. 

 

Sometimes Hank didn't realize how much he needed Connor in his life, he failed to function properly without the man by his side. He started to think about their situation. Was it really that he thought Connor needed him most of the day? Or did Hank just not want to be without him? Was it for Hanks comfort, or Connor’s? 

 

Not that it really mattered if it was Hank who needed Connor more than the human needed him. Hank wasn't embarrassed that Connor had him wrapped around his finger, he loved the man and would do anything for him. He knew for a fact if Connor had said that he wasn't ready to be left home alone, Hank would have told Fowler that there was no way he was coming into work. If Connor still needed him, he would be there. He would admit it if anyone asked, Connor was the light of his life and the android would do anything for him. 

 

After what felt like ten years but was really only twelve minutes, he pulled into the driveway of the small house. It looked peaceful as always. Hank loved Connor’s home,  _ their _ home. It made him feel safe and happy. It was the place when he spent a lot of his time when he was coming to terms with his deviencey, he felt accepted here.

 

Other than that, this is where his family lives. Connor, Sumo, and Richy, he loved them with all of his heart; where they are is exactly where Hank wants to be. He was still coming to terms with the thought of even having a family. Androids weren't meant to have any relationships, let alone have a family and feel love. Hank definitely felt a lot of love, especially toward his human counterpart. 

 

He loved everything about Connor, aside from his self-destructive tendencies. He loved the way Connor saw the world and saw it interesting how the man interpreted everything in his life. He loved how Connor made him feel, and the way Connor accepted him even as he was: going through the throes of emotions, and what to do when he felt new ones. 

 

Above all, Connor had given him a family, a place to call home and someone to love. Hank knew he would never be able to repay Connor for what he has given him, and the chance he allowed Hank to have. He sure was going to try, though. 

 

He unlocked the front door of the house and stepped through the threshold, slowly closing the door behind him, and trying to be quiet in case Connor was having a nap. He gave the cuddly cat a soft pat on the head and turned to the couch where Sumo was sleeping peacefully. It seemed that Hank was quiet enough to not wake the large dog. He took a step into the kitchen, noticing that Connor was nowhere to be seen and the kitchen looked exactly like he had left it. 

 

The android let out a sigh when he let it sink in that Connor probably hadn't eaten anything. There were no new dishes in the sink and nothing on the table. It was possible that Connor may have eaten and then cleaned up everything, but that was more unlikely than the alternative.

 

He knew Connor still struggled with eating on his own, and it wasn't her fault that he didn't feel hunger on his own. However, Connor was going to have to learn how to get himself to eat, at some point. What if Hank wasn't here to tell him when to eat? Hank was sure Connor would end up severely underweight as he had been before, the android really didn't want that. They had both worked so Hard to get Connor to the weight he is today and Hank didn't want him to end up as health and malnutrition as he had been when they first met. 

 

His mind drifted to a manufacturing update of sorts that he would have to attend in a couple of months time. It was mandatory that every couple of months he had to go to a technician to make sure everything was running properly, it was almost like an android doctor's appointment. Since Hank was such an advanced prototype, he could push his examinations to only once a year. 

 

Along with a check on his processes, he would be able to get any of the updates that were being released, such as sleeping, eating, and growing hair. Hank could get those without going to a technician, but each one would cause him to go into stasis for an unknown amount of time, and Hank would rather do everything all at once then separated.

 

Normally, going to see a technician wasn't a big deal, but for them to go through all his systems and make sure they were running well, he would have to go into stasis for a couple of days, not to mention time for updates. He was going to be in stasis, and away from Connor, for anywhere from eight days to sixteen days. That was a  _ long _ time. 

 

If Connor would be alone for two whole weeks, what if he didn't eat the whole time? That would be so dangerous; Connor could become very ill. He hasn't told Connor that he had to leave yet, that was a conversion for later date. He had considered having someone coming to cook for the man, but he knew Connor would hate that. 

 

Hank snapped out of his train of thought, realizing he had wasted a minute and twelve seconds just standing in the kitchen. He quickly turned on the stove, waiting for it to heat up as he turned to the hallway and called out, “Connor?” 

 

“In the bathroom!” he heard his lover’s voice from down the hall. He sounded chipper and happy, it made him smile knowing that Connor was happy. He quickly rushed to the bathroom, wanting to see Connor before he started cooking and got stuck in the kitchen. 

 

He knocked on the door once, giving Connor a chance to tell him not to come in. When he heard nothing, he opened the door and saw Connor sitting in the bathtub. He was covered with bubbles and his hair was soaking wet, showing that he had already washed it. He had a wide smile on his face but that wasn't what caught Hank's attention. Connor’s eyes were bloodshot and puffy, it looked like he had been crying. 

 

Hank let a soft smile spread across his features, he didn't want to overreact and embarrass the man. Hank got on his knees and leaned over to kiss Connor’s delicate mouth. “Hey baby, how's work so far?” Connor asked as he lifted a hand out of the water and held Hank’s cheek.

 

Hank shrugged, he didn't want to talk about work right now, he was with Connor, not at work. 

 

“It's alright, but… were you crying?” Hank wanted to let it go, but he didn't like when Connor cried. He just wanted to help him, also he couldn't control his curiosity. 

 

Connor chuckled as he hung his head down, looking at the water that surrounded him. He leaned forward and pulled the plug out of the tub, allowing the water to drain away. 

 

“Yes, but don't worry about it Hank, I just missed you. It's a lot different, being home alone, but I’m okay, I promise. We both knew the first day would be hard.” Hank felt his stomach tighten, he knew this would be too much for Connor. The man still needed him. 

 

“Con, if you want me to sta-” Connor cut him off with a peck to the lips and pulled away to reveal a small smile.

 

“No Hank, I’m okay, it’ll just take some getting used to.” Hank sat still for a moment before nodding. Connor was right, they had talked about it, the first day would be the hardest day, they would get through it and Connor would be fine, it just took some time. 

 

Hanks stood from his spot on the floor and smiled down at the man, noticing the water was almost all gone. “Do you want help getting out?” Hank asked as Connor sat up straighter and reached down the floor where his crutches were. The man shook his head and stuck his tongue out in concentration as he worked on getting up.

 

Hank took the hint and headed back out to the kitchen. He decided not to bring up the fact that Connor didn't eat breakfast. Every time Hank bought up a meal that he hadn't eaten, Connor got so embarrassed and shameful; Hank didn't want to make him feel like that. Especially not today.

 

He made quick work of lunch: a simple grilled cheese and placed it on the table with a small amount of ketchup on the side of the plate. He made a note that he only had five minutes and forty seconds before he had to leave again. Just as he was about to get up and see if Connor needed any help, the man hobbled out into the kitchen, and with a helping hand from the android, took his seat in front of the lovingly-made sandwich.

 

The two conversed slightly, Hank telling Connor all about some of the new drama around the office: Chris’s wife was pregnant, Reed got another cat and some other information about their coworkers. Hank purposely left out the detail about how the others reacted to Hank’s return. He wanted Connor to see all of that for himself when he went back. 

 

Sooner rather than later, Hank had to return to work even though he wanted nothing more than to stay home and take care of his human. Connor assured him he would be okay and told him that he was excited for the android to return back home. Connor promised to have movies picked out for them to enjoy a quiet evening together, making Hank even more excited to come home. 

 

The rest of the day at the precinct was boring, for the most part, only a lot of paperwork that he had to file. Not even any more workplace drama to occupy his mind. The only thing in his mind was the lovely man waiting for him at home.

 

He could get used to that, coming home every day to Connor waiting for him. Hank would make them dinner, and then they would cuddle up on the couch and relax however they see fit. Then on weekends in the coming summer, they would go camping, spend some time out in the countryside where they could breathe without the heavy Detroit pollution. 

 

Hank wanted to experience all there was out there with Connor, but camping was something he really wanted to do. Since his creation, all he knew was the city and the gross-smelling air. He wanted to experience the empty space and the big, wide open areas. He also knew there were a lot of activities that one could do while camping, and he wanted to do them with Connor. He could imagine fishing and swimming, roasting marshmallows with him. It was exciting just thinking about it. 

 

It was five when he finally got back to the house. He quickly rushed out and to the front door of their home, not being able to wait anymore. 

 

When he opened it, he felt his heart shatter. Connor was sitting on the couch, the tv was ready to play a movie that Connor had picked out. His crutches were sitting on the coffee table along with the man's cell phone. 

 

Connor was crying again, his eyes puffy, red and wet with tears. Hank rushed in, just barely getting the door closed and shoving the large dog, who was trying to get his attention, with his feet gently. 

 

Hank wasted no time jumping up on the couch and pulling the small human into his arms. He brought one hand to the man's hair, trying to calm him down. He whispered sweet nothings into his ear, but that didn't seem to do anything. Hank was confused, he was home now, there was no need to miss him now. 

 

“The d-doctor called,” Connor whispered, making the Android jump. 

 

“Is that what you’re upset about? What did he say?” 

 

Connor shook lightly in the android’s arms and Hank was at a loss of what to do. 

 

“H-he wanted to t-talk about other t-t-treatment o-options,” Hank waited patiently as Connor took in another shuddering breath and continued.

  
“If I d-don't begin to show any more p-progress, he w-wants to...  _ amputate _ ,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this one took a bit longer to come out! I'm trying to work hard and I hope everyone is liking the story! Any ideas or things that you want to see? Let me know in the comments! Please let me know what you think so far, the feedback really keeps me going!
> 
> Thanks again to my wonderful beta-reader, LadyAmalthea, check her out! You won't regret it!
> 
> Hope you have a beautiful day!


	18. The Miracle

Connor sat nervously on top of the examination bed in Dr. Warren’s office. He allowed his right leg to swing back and forth from where it dangled above the floor. The other leg, his ‘useless leg’ as he began to call it, was still and unmoving. The man could feel that his hands were trembling in his lap but did nothing to still their movements. 

 

Today was the day that they were going to decide how they were to proceed with the leg that he still had yet to begin feeling again. Even though Connor wouldn't admit it, he was extremely nervous. 

 

He had done a lot of research on modern amputations and how long the recovery would be, and he was quite pleased to know that it would be very quick. He should be back on his feet about a week after the surgery and could resume a normal life. Thankfully, he still had feeling down to the knee so there would be no need for his prosthetic to have the ability to bend. His would be simple. 

 

It would almost be like he never lost a limb at all. Of course, there would be some limitations in the movement of his ankle and prosthetic foot but it was enough. He wouldn't have to use his crutches to get around and wouldn't need to have his injured leg dragging along beside him. 

 

It seemed like the perfect solution, simple and no foreseeable complications. However, it still felt wrong to the curly-haired man. He felt like he was giving up on a part of his body and not giving it the chance to heal. While a prosthetic was thankfully not a bad alternative, thanks to modern technology, he would still rather have his own leg.  Hank assured him that it was nearly impossible for his leg to regain feeling after this long but Connor wasn't so sure. 

 

Connor really hated change. Losing his leg was close to as drastic of a change that you could get. Connor loved routine and schedule and knowing what was going on at all times. His parents told him multiple times that he had control issues but the man never took them seriously. He just... didn't like surprises. 

 

Connor was shaken out of his thoughts when he felt a hand being placed on his own. His hands had been shaking in his lap but the movement had been stilled with Hank’s large, warm hand. Connor looked up to the android that was standing beside his bed. Hank’s silver-colored hair was pulled back into a small bun at the back of his head with his usual black hair band. 

 

Hank had a knowing look on his face, eyes narrowed and his lips pulled up into a smirk. Connor could swear that the android knew what he was thinking. In the time they had been together, Hank had gotten really good at learning Connor’s body language. He knew what the man was feeling just by looking at him. 

 

Connor let one side of his mouth lift into a small half-smile. He was happy that Hank was there. The android calmed him, made him feel safe and protected. It almost felt like he could do anything with Hank at his side, even get through this nerve-wracking doctor’s appointment.

 

“You're stressed, Connor. Relax, Dr. Warren is just talking about your options to this point, nothing is final. Whatever happens, it is your decision we don't have to do something that you don't want.” 

 

Connor’s smile widened. Of course, he knew all of those things, sometimes it was just nice to hear these types of things said out loud. 

 

Connor looked back down at his lap, his hands now completely still under the androids. He turned his hand over, winding his fingers through Hank’s, holding the hand in his own. He heard Hank let out a small chuckle at Connor’s action. He squeezed Connor’s hand tightly, giving him a physical reminder that he was there for him. 

 

Suddenly, the door opened quickly, the hinges groaning at the movement. Dr. Warren passed through the door, making sure to close it behind him. The kind doctor had a slight smile on his face as he greeted them kindly and shook both of their hands. With all the pleasantries out of the way, the doctor took a seat in the rolling chair on the other side of the room. 

 

“So Connor, we have some options to go over, don't we?” The doctor started, while he was writing something down on a paper that sat on the clipboard. Connor felt his hands begin to shake again. He knew that they would have to talk about this eventually, but he really would rather be anywhere else right now. 

 

Connor knew that he couldn't go through life without discussing the issue that was his leg. Unlike a lot of his other health problems, he couldn't just ignore it. He knew he shouldn't be ignoring his other issues, but they were  _ easy _ to ignore. They only arose every once in a while, but a paralyzed leg would be noticeable every day. 

 

The man felt something squeeze his hands. His head shot up to the android at his side. Hank was looking down at him with a pointed gaze and a soft smile. He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head over to the man on the other side of the room. Connor’s eyes widened as he remembered that he had been asked a question. 

 

‘Oh… y-yes, we do.” Connor noticed that Hank had started to run his thumb up and down the human's hand in soothing circular motions. He was trying to calm the man down, and Connor had to admit, it was working. He could slowly feel himself relaxing, even as he was watching the doctor writing on some type of form. 

 

The man felt Hank take a few steps to the side so that he was on the other side of the bed, about half of his body directly behind the man. Connor was about to turn around to ask the cunning android what he was up to when he felt a hand on his chest, pushing him back slightly. 

 

Connor couldn't help but smile when he felt himself come in contact with the tall android's chest. Connor wanted to turn around and curl up into his chest be he knew right now was not the time. The warmth from behind him was very comforting and it almost felt like all of the tension was just pouring out of him and being taken in by Hank, helping him to deal with it.

 

“Now Connor, I know this must be very difficult and a very frightening process, but I promise that I am going to do my best to make this easy for you.” Dr. Warren had a slight smile on his face, it made his eyes light up slightly behind his black-rimmed glasses showing it was genuine. 

 

Dr. Warren had been Connor’s doctor for many years. Connor was one of Warren’s first patients and had been loyal to him since then. Connor knew the man to be quite kind, and that he generally cared for his patients, which often led him to Connor feeling guilty when he never returned the calls for check-ups. Connor appreciated how understanding he was, and overall, he was happy that he was his doctor. 

 

“I appreciate it, thanks Warren.” Connor sat up a bit straighter, trying to seem more confident than he actually was. He hated seeming small and weak and had caught himself doing just that while in the office. He steeled himself, ready to dive into the reality of what was going to drastically change his life. 

 

“So, let's take a look here,” Dr. Warren used his feet to pull himself along the short distance to the bed Connor was sat upon. The wheels on the bottom of the chair made a small squeaking noise as he crossed the room; they needed to be oiled. 

 

The doctor stopped at Connor’s legs reaching a handout and gently touching parts of Connor’s lower leg. He would repeatedly ask what the man could feel, and what he couldn't. He would check to see if Connor could feel the pressure of his fingers of his skin, and Connor said no to every question he asked. He couldn't feel anything. 

 

Connor got even more discouraged as the appointment wore on. No matter where Warren touched his leg or how hard he did it, Connor couldn't even feel the faintest amount of pressure. It felt to him as if this was the final test and he knew that he was definitely not going to pass. He thought that this would be his last chance to prove that he could recover and wouldn't need to have surgery. That hope was seeming to dwindle by the second. 

 

The doctor wheeled his chair back to the countertop at which he had been writing previously. Connor could see from the look on his face, that things were not good. His eyebrows furrowed downward and there was a light scowl across his mouth as his hand quickly flew across the form. 

 

Connor already knew what he was going to say. ‘It’s no use” or maybe a more harsh, ‘Your leg is never going to work again, we’re cutting it off.’ Connor tried to keep an open mind, maybe Warren would give him more time, a few more weeks to allow the feeling to return. He knew that was unlikely; things just don’t work out like that. 

 

“Well Connor, I really hate to say it, but in my professional opinion, there is a very slim chance that you will regain any feeling in the bottom half of your left leg. Especially after this amount of time since the attack.” The doctor spoke softly near the end, trying to be delicate in the mention of a very traumatic experience. 

 

Connor’s body tensed as the words he had feared so greatly were finally spoken out loud. He tried to sit even straighter than he already was, hoping to hide how he really felt about the whole ordeal. He had to keep himself under control, he didn't even want to think about how embarrassing it would be to cry in front of his doctor.

  
  


“We do, however, have other options. If you choose to get it amputated, you could either get a prosthetic, of which there are a few options, or if you chose to you could get no prosthetic at all. If you really want, you don't have to get it amputated, but I really do not suggest that. I believe there will be a better quality of life if you chose to go ahead with the operation.”

 

Connor nodded. He understood, but that didn't mean he had to like it. When he thought about it, it would be quite odd to go throughout his life with his useless leg dragging around. In hindsight, it would be better to just get rid of it altogether. Connor just didn’t like the idea of surgery, the actual process was terrifying. 

 

He strayed a glance up to the android standing behind him. Hank was already looking down at him, his eyes downcast in concern and a small smile present on his face. The look on his face was encouraging and supportive, helping Connor to remember that he held the reigns here, he was in control. 

 

The man felt Hank’s hand on his back, pressing his hand flat against his tense muscles. Connor could feel the warmth bleeding into him once again. He leaned back grateful for the comfort of Hanks presence so close. 

 

Connor looked back to the doctor with a nervous smile. It was time for him to grow up and get over his fear. If Connor decided not to do this, he would face many more challenges later in life. Or, he could get it done and actually be able to live normally again. He needed to get back to normal, to a routine that he could handle again. The decision was becoming easier. 

 

“I would like to look into the prosthetics.” Warren’s smile widened, apparently, that was the answer he had hoped Connor would pick. The doctor flipped a few pages over on the clipboard he had brought in with him. He stood and walked a few steps to be standing directly in front of the pair. 

 

He flipped the board around to show a picture of an old-looking prosthetic; it was pretty simple. The top looked like it was fitted to go around the remaining area of the leg. Attached to that was what looked to be an aluminum pole that took the place of the bone. It ended with a foot made of plastic to give the appearance of a real one. 

  
  


“This is what we call ‘The Classic’ type of prosthetic. It’s the least expensive prosthetic on the market right now. Although, from my knowledge, about eighty percent of your medical bills are being paid by your workplace, so you will be paying very little for any of the options. Now, due to the simplicity of the design, you would have very limited movement. There will be no way for you to move your ankle and therefore you will have to get used to walking again. You will not be able to bend your knee which would mean you will probably need to use a cane.”

 

Connor didn’t like any of that.

 

“Another option is a fully modern, android lower leg. It would be quite similar to a fully android lower leg. Hank if you wouldn’t mind.” The doctor gestured for the android to lift his leg, and Hank compiled. With impeccable balance, he lifted his leg, placing his ankle on the man’s hand. Warren moved the pant leg up just enough so Connor could see the bottom half of Hanks shin. 

 

“Remove your skin please.” Hank did so without a second thought. His LED cycled a bright yellow a couple times before returning to blue. Warren looked up to see Connor already looking down at the exposed part of Hanks' leg. 

 

“Now, you can see right here,” he pointed to the side of Hanks' leg where it looked like two parts of his chassis joined together, only a small crack visible to the outside world. “Right here, and on the other side as well, there are hundreds of small sensors that are able to be aware of the environment around them. They can tell when you need to move your leg and in what way it should be moved. Your ankle will work the same way, it will use the environment it figure out when it should be in each position.”

 

The doctor used one hand to support the android’s leg in his palm and the other went to his shiny dress shoe. Warren slipped the shoe off to reveal the white sock underneath. The doctor gently grabbed the androids big toe and moved it up and down, causing the androids ankle to move as it would normally if he was walking. 

 

Connor was able to see how Hank’s ankle move in the exact way that a human ankle would move. Connor could see the way that the chassis plates moved with each movement. Each time he would move, the plates in the joint moved together, making room for other parts of his chassis to move. It looked like a beautiful, well-oiled machine; and it was really, all of Hank was of perfect design and simply built to be magnificent. 

 

“Wiggle your toes please, Hank.” 

 

The android chuckled as he completed the silly action. Connor could see the movement of each individual toe underneath his sock, they moved fluidly and looked just like human toes wiggling. Connor knew that androids were just like humans and had an impeccable design to do just that. However, it was surprising to see it in front of him. Warren placed Hank’s leg back on the floor gently and stood up to be eye level with Connor as Hank slipped on his shoe again. 

 

“Now, you see, the main difference is that on the back of the leg, at about mid-calf,” He pointed to the area on Hank's leg. “You will have a tiny compartment that will conceal a small vial of thirium, which of course will be used to run throughout your prosthetic to keep it functioning. There will be a small button to the side of the compartment when you press it, the thirum circulating the leg will return to the vial so it could be changed. Instead of having to ingest thirium as an android will do, you will just have to replace the thirium about once a month. A new vial will come to your house along with Hank’s thirium delivery each month.”

 

Connor nodded, following along with what the doctor was saying. Hopefully, there wasn’t much more to talk about, Connor was really uncomfortable; that was a lot of changes. 

 

“We will place a port to the bottom of your knee and then your prosthetic will be able to be attached and come unattached when you wanted it to be. You could wear it all of the time if you would like or not very much at all, it is your decision. It will be completely waterproof, you can shower, go swimming and everything. The time to adjust to it should be relatively short, but there is a chance that it will need recalibrating, thankfully Hank can do that from home. Now, Connor, I know this must be a lot to take in-”

Connor felt Hank’s hand slide into his lap once again and grasped his hand tightly. The android rubbed his thumb in place, Connor could feel him heating up his own skin to give Connor warmth once again. 

“You don’t have to decide today, you can go home to thin-”

 

“No, I’ll do it.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The appointment was made to be a week later. They had discussed any customizations Connor wanted to make, which he didn't. They took measurements around his knee where the port would be implanted. They were happy to hear that the prosthetic would be made and finished before Connor even went into the operating room. 

 

Hank had talked to Connor many times, trying to make sure this is what Connor wanted. He didn't want the human to feel pressured to get this done. He had made sure that Connor knew that if he didn't feel perfectly comfortable with going through with the operation then he absolutely did not have to get it. 

 

Hank made sure to tell him that if he decided not to go through with it, he would still love him and he would be perfectly happy to take care of Connor with whatever he needed. Hank loved taking care of the man, he enjoyed doing things for Connor and helping him get around the house. Someone would almost think that is what he was designed to do. 

 

One of Hanks favorite things to do was to make the lieutenant his meals. It felt special to him because he knew that Connor would not eat on his own. It gave him a feeling, as though he was needed and wanted. He was happy to see the detective gaining some weight; he was very attractive when he looked happy and healthy. 

 

However, as the days got closer to the actual date of the surgery, Hank noticed that Connor was starting to eat less. He would avoid Hank’s meals, or distract the android enough that meals were forgotten. 

 

Sometimes, Hank would come home during the workday on his breaks so he could make Connor lunch. When he got there, however, Connor would drag the android down with him on the couch and lay on top of him so that the android couldn't get up. The two would lay together as long as time allowed, just talking and enjoying each others company.  On his way back to work, Hank would realize that Connor had once again distracted him from making his food. 

 

Hank just couldn't figure out why Connor was avoiding eating anything. Hank knew that Connor’s prior eating disorder just revolved around the fact that he physically did not feel hunger. However, now it seemed like he just didn't want to eat at all. The android was sure that he probably just had too much on his mind, the man had a tendency to think too much even when he wasn't going into surgery

 

Regardless of his avoidance of food, Connor seemed rather happy. The two lied together every night in Connor’s bed. They talked about anything and everything until Connor succumbed to exhaustion. The android would hold him close until he himself went into stasis. 

 

Connor seemed pretty content with the way his life was going right now. However, Hank knew it wasn't exactly how Connor was feeling. He could tell that Connor was still nervous and scared about the whole thing, who wouldn't be if they were in his position?

Hank awoke first on the morning of the procedure. He was already facing the curly-haired man and couldn't help but smiling like a madman. Connor was still sleeping peacefully, his lips were slightly parted as air circulated his lungs and came in and out of his mouth. The man's arms were held up close to his chest, hands closed into fists. His hair was spread across his face, plastered to his forehead thanks to a small amount of sweat from the heavy blankets around them. 

 

Hank noticed a small amount of fluff from Connor’s belly just barely out of his eyesight. He looked down and had to hold in the coo that fought to make its way out of his mouth. Richy was curled up into a small ball, his head tucking into Connor’s stomach, nuzzling his bare skin. The cat could be heard purring lightly against the man. It was such a cute sight, Hank decided to save the image to his memory so he could easily find it when he chose to look for it.

 

Last night had been… difficult. Connor’s sleep apnea had been acting up a lot lately, Hank presumed it was due to stress. Two times last night, Hank had been awoken when he felt Connor stop breathing for much too long. 

 

The first time, Connor had woken up quite easily. The man didn't even completely awake when Hank had shaken him and called to get his attention. After that, Hank had pulled the man to rest on his chest so he could be awake the second Connor stopped breathing. 

 

Less than an hour later, Hank woke up again. This time, when Connor had stopped breathing for long enough. Hank pushed him onto his back and began calling for him to awaken. However, after about ten seconds of Hank yelling and gently slapping Connor’s face to get him to wake up, Connor was still stubbornly asleep. 

 

Hank was terrified. Nothing was working. He tried yelling and screaming, even caused Sumo to start barking. The android was about to get up to get the car keys so he could drive Connor to the hospital, when the man's eyes snapped open and he took in a large gasping breath, his hand coming up to his chest his nails scratching his chest as he tried to grab something that wasn't there. 

 

The couple took a little over a minute to catch their breaths while just looking at each other. Shortly after, Connor burst into tears. Hank had never seen him sob like this and it absolutely shattered his heart. Hank lunged forward and wrapped arms around the man as he cried into his chest. The man was shaking and crying to the point where Hank was almost struggling to keep a hold on him. 

 

Connors cries were so loud and seemed to cut so deeply that the bed itself quaked with the movement. Hank could swear that the sound was enough to send cracks through all of his bio-components. The android felt sanitizing moisture well up in his eyes and soon enough it began to drip down his face. 

 

The android didn't know what had caused such distress. Was it the fear of it being so hard to get him to breathe? Hank knew that was enough for him to almost break down into sobs. Had Connor been dreaming of something terrible that caused him such great fear? Hank didn't know what the reason was, and he was sure he probably wasn't going to find out.

 

Soon enough, Connor’s cries slowly subsided until they stopped completely. No words were said as Connor drifted off to a peaceful sleep. It was only ten minutes later after Hank had made sure that Connor was asleep multiple times, that he let his own emotions revealed themselves. 

 

The android held Connor close to his chest as he began to let out his own quieted sobs. He wasn't sure exactly what part of the night had made him so distressed. Whether it was the fear of being unable to wake the man or having to listen to his screams and cries didn't matter. He knew that the human was upset and that was enough to drive him crazy. 

 

Hank imagined that would be what every human would feel had their boyfriend been in distress. Hank hoped that any human who would see their companion in such a state would feel the same way. He hoped that every human would find love as strong as he had with Connor.

 

The android looked down at the man’s peacefully sleeping face. He was so, so cute when he was sleeping. Well, Hank believed he was attractive all of the time, but it was so different to see him so peaceful. Connor was hardly ever stress-free when he was awake, no matter how hard Hank tried to get him to relax. It was sobering to see him without any worry crossing his brow. 

 

Hank hoped that soon, Connor wouldn't be plagued with these worries again. Maybe Connor would benefit from counseling or a therapist. Hank was positive that there were things he needed to talk about; things that he might not feel comfortable talking to the android about. Hank wouldn't be offended if Connor needed someone else to talk to. He just wanted Connor to be happy, whatever it takes.

 

It was only about three am by the time Connor had fallen asleep and Hank had time to calm his own rushing emotions. The android decided not to go to sleep after that. Thankfully, sleep was just a luxury for him and he was able to keep his eyes on his boyfriend all night, he wanted to be there as soon as he was needed. 

 

Sadly, he was needed much sooner than he would have wanted. 

 

It wasn't even an hour after the both of them had calmed down that Hank noticed Connor’s heart rate picking up. The android hoped that it would drop naturally, maybe Connor was having a nice dream and he was just happy and that's the cause of his heart rate being elevated. Not likely. 

 

Soon afterward, Connor began to perspire and his blood pressure rose slowly but steadily continued as well. Hank gripped onto the man a bit tighter, almost as if he was trying to keep whatever was happening at bay, just with his own will power. However, that was not enough. 

 

Connors body began to shake and Hank could see his brow becoming furrowed in distress. Hank could only watch as Connor seemed to become unraveled at the seams. It was almost as if the man was struggling against some unseen force. 

 

Connor started to let out little whimpers as he tried at nuzzle closer into the android's chest. It was like he was hiding and using Hanks chest as a shelter. Hank was at a loss. It wasn't very often that he didn't know what to do, but this situation, much like the first time he witnessed Connor having a seizure, left him questioning his options.

 

Tachycardia. Sweating. High blood pressure. Shaking. Visible distress on the face. Fear. Connor was afraid.  _ Nightmare. _

 

Hank wasn't sure if waking the man was the best idea. It was obvious that he was having a nightmare, but Connor was going to be exhausted if he kept waking up like this. Was there anything else that he could do? Could he cease Connor suffering without waking the man? Hank could imagine that if it was that bad of a dream, the man might not want to go back to sleep at all and Connor was going to need all the sleep he could get for what he was about to go through. 

 

The android sat up in the bed. He gently reached over and brought Connors upper body to rest in his lap. Thankfully, he hadn't jostled the man awake at all with the small shift in movement. The android ran his hand lightly through the man's hair while rocking the man back and forth in his lap. 

 

Connor continued to shake and whimper in his sleep, not getting any worse, but not getting any better either. Hanks used his other hand to rub the soft, smooth skin on the human's cheek. The small moonlight filtered through the curtains, highlighting the humans face in just the right way. 

 

Hank could tear his eyes away from the beautiful face before him. Sometimes it shocked Hank that the man in his lap was his. His to love and take care of, his to protect and keep safe. Hank would do anything for the man before him. 

 

No one got to see Connor this way. So vulnerable and scared. It was a gift as much as it was a burden. While it hurt Hank to see someone he loved in such distress, it made him happy to know that he was the only one who Connor trusted to be with him in a time like this. It was a true honor. 

 

Thankfully, it didn't take long for the man to start to relax. Connor stopped struggling against whatever was ailing him, his whimpers quieting and his body stilling. Hank let out a breath of air, finally relaxing as he hoped that this stressful night was over. 

  
  


Hank was brought back to the present by a small groan. Connor had his head tucked down and a hand wound around his stomach. Hank looked further down the bed and saw Sumo standing right in between them, tongue hanging out and tail wagging. It appeared that Sumo had woke up when he noticed that the android was awake and had come over to get some attention, accidentally stepping on the human. 

 

Hank chuckled at the human in front of him, groaning and moaning, probably from the discomfort of being stepped on and being awoken so suddenly. The android could hear him cursing at the dog softly and that only caused the android to laugh again. 

 

Connor eventually looked up at the man and let out at deeps sigh. He closed his eyes again in an attempt to go back to sleep. Hanks check of his internal clock told him that it was time to get up now anyway, Connor didn't have time to go back to sleep. 

 

The android reached across the short distance and used his thumb to rub the skin on his cheek, much like he had the night before. The man let out a low grunt at the android across from him, obviously not a fan of the thought of being kept awake. 

  
  
  


“We have to get ready soon Connor. Big day today.” Hank whispered, trying to be encouraging. 

 

Connor just grunted again as he closed his eyes and rolled forward onto his stomach. The man's shoulder was now pressed into Hank’s chest with his face stuffed into the pillow.  Hank let a small smile grace his face, he didn't want to force the man out of bed, but if he laid around like this much longer, he might have to. 

 

Hank reached the short span to the other man's back. He let his palm fall onto Connor’s warm, bare skin as he began to rub circles in the open space. He heard the man let out a cute sigh that caused the android to smirk, he loved the way he affected the human. 

 

“Rough night?” 

 

“Feels like I didn't even sleep,” Connor joked as he turned his head so he could see the stunning piece of art before him. Connor couldn't help but smile when he saw the android, he just made him so happy. It was almost impossible for him to be sad when Hank was around. 

 

“Well, If my estimations are correct, you only got about three hours and ten minutes of sleep. That's only a little more than half of your normal night's sleep.” Hank informed as he continued to rub Connor’s back. The human let out a content hum at the calming touch, closing his eyes once again. 

 

The two sat in silence for about ten minutes, Hank figured that Connor needed some time before he truly faced what was going to happen today. The android was worried that Connor hadn't had the time to really think this through. He didn't want the man to feel like he had to do this for any reason. Hank just wanted Connor to be happy with himself. 

 

“You know you don't have to do this if you don't want to right? Or if you wanted to wait a bit longer to think about it, we could always postpone it. There's  no rush.” Hank spoke slowly and calmly. Not pushing Connor to make a rash decision, just making a suggestion. 

 

Connor opened his eyes slowly and let a small smile grace his lips. Hank loved when he smiled. The human reached his arms forward to wrap around the android’s neck. He pulled himself closer to the android until their noses were barely touching. 

 

“I know babe, I know I don't have to. But I want to like a full life, I want to go back to work and I don't want some stupid useless leg holding me back.” He leaned forward to land a small kiss on the android’s nose. “I have thought about it a lot, and I promise you, this is what I want.”

 

The android looked at his face seriously, trying to make sure the human was being truthful. When he saw no sign that the human was lying or trying to cover something up, Hank let the sides of his mouth twitch up into a smile. If this is what Connor wanted, he supported him. 

 

The android leaned forward to leave a small peck on the human’s lips. He loved kissing the man and would often let himself get slightly carried away with it in the morning before he had to get ready for work. However, today was not a day for that. They couldn't be late today. 

 

The android rolled off of the bed, his lips leaving the humans who let out a small huff. The android chuckled as he rounded the bed and lightly lifted the comforter off of the human’s body. Hank took a second to take in the sight of Connor’s beautiful body only covered by a small pair of boxers. 

 

The android leaned forward and slapped a hand on the back of Connors left calf playfully. It had become a routine since they started waiting for Connor’s leg to get some feeling back. It seemed as if Hank had yet to shake the routine, he almost frowned at the thought that this would be the last time he would do it 

 

The android quickly turned to walk out of the room when Connor’s vice-grip stopped him. 

 

“Hank!! I felt that!” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO SO SORRY that I have been gone!! I have no excuse really. I just took a long time to write a new story for my Hankcon Collection, (Check that out if you want ;)) and then I took a break for a while but now I'm back!! I'm going to try to bang out a few chapters before I start something else. Once again, sorry for the wait! But I saved Connors leg! I was actually gonna get rid of it but I changed my mind! 
> 
> Anyway thanks for staying with me while I was missing! I hope you like it, please let me know! Thanks again to LadyAmalthea for beta-reading for me! Love you!<3 Have a good day everyone!


	19. A Setback

The next few days passed in a blur. The couple had decided to still go to the hospital where they could meet with the doctor and discuss what they were going to do next. Obviously, they didn't want to continue with the surgery if Connor was regaining feeling. 

 

The human had described the feeling to be like pins and needles in his leg like it had been asleep for years and just woke up. The human was ecstatic to not have to get his leg removed, which Hank expected. 

 

After only a few days, Connor was able to limp around on his bad leg and could get around with very limited help. Connor was overall so much happier and it made Hank’s heart flutter to see the man so happy. It was almost like he was back to his regular self.

 

Connor always wanted to be cuddled and loved, and who was Hank to deny him some love? The man always wanted to talk to Hank and tell him what he was feeling. They talked for hours on end about nothing and everything that crossed their minds. There was laughter, there were kisses, there were excited smiles, even the occasional tear. 

 

Connor seemed to be doing much better; he was so much happier. Which is why Hank was surprised when he came home to see Connor surrounded by different types of alcohol. 

 

“Welcome hoooooome Hanky!” Connor’s words slurred greatly together, the android barely able to differentiate between the words. Connor was laid back on the couch, his good leg up on the coffee table and his arms were spread wide open almost as if offering the android a hug. 

 

The android’s brows furrowed in confusion at the state of the man on the couch. Connor hadn't touched a drop of alcohol since before Hank moved in, and that was nearly a year ago. Hank had thought that Connor had completely eradicated his addition to drinking, but he seemed to be very wrong. 

 

Hank thought that Connor would never fall under the drinking problem again, but he seemed to have underestimated the addictive personality of his partner. It was as though he had kicked the addiction to smoking and Hank had believed that he had done the same with his drinking as well. He was obviously wrong. 

 

“Connor? Are you drunk?” Clearly, a rhetorical question. You would have to be blind to not know that he was absolutely hammered. The man was surrounded by various types of alcohol cans and bottles. From what Hank could see, there were many cans of ‘Key Lime Palm Bay’, a couple of cans of ‘Twisted Tea”; two were empty on the floor and one full on the coffee table. 

 

There was half a bottle of green ‘Sour Puss’ in Connor's hand, and the android could see a drip of green running down his chin, not that Connor noticed. Finally, there were two unopened bottles of Connor’s usual beer lying on their side on the floor beside the couch, also a second case of Palm Bay underneath Connor’s arm. 

 

“Noooo, no no no, Hank. I swear I haven't drunk in l-like...foreve- forever.” Connor was stumbling and stammering on his words, more than he did usually. He sounded like a child trying to convince a parent that he didn't steal a cookie while he had crumbs on his face. 

 

The android hung up his coat on the hook by the door and slowly walked through the living room until he was standing right in front of an inebriated man, surrounded by the empty alcohol cans. 

 

“Then what is all of this, Connor?” Hank asked, keeping his voice low and kind but also firm as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. 

 

The man took his time to look down at all of the evidence that was laying around the place. Over a dozen empty cans surrounded his body and a still full case under his arms. He also noticed that he still held the bottle of ‘Sour Puss’ in his hand. The android could tell that he was losing Connor’s attention. 

 

The human slowly began to lift the bottle to his lips but was stopped by the android placing his hand over the mouth of the bottle to keep it in place. That seemed to effectively regain the man's attention. Connor’s head snapped up to the android as if he had forgotten he was there. 

 

“O-Okay Hank, I'll be h-h-honest...I may had, um… one?” The man was making very little sense but Hank was able to figure out what he was trying to say. 

 

“Connor, where did you even get this much alcohol? I poured everything out when I moved in.”

 

Connor seemed confused as to what Hank had said. His eyebrows were furrowed in deep concentration, probably trying to focus on Hank’s words and what they meant. Hank let out a deep sigh as thirty seconds passed and Connor still seemed to be confused. 

 

“The alcohol, Connor, where did it come from?” 

 

Then he got it. 

 

“OH! W-Well Reed had got t-them for… me to cel-cel-celebrate! That's it! Y-Yeah. He brought it over while you were at w-work. Heee...said I deserved it, for all t-t-that I had g… gone through! He got l-like the girliest stuff ever th-though.”

 

Hank swore, he wanted more than anything to go give Detective Reed a piece of his mind. He knew Connor struggled with his alcohol addiction, but he decided to bring his largest temptation right under his nose. Detective Reed was no doubt partially to blame for this, but it still fell upon Connor to be able to resist. 

 

Hank looked down and noticed that Connor was staring up at him in a way he had never seen him do before. It was almost as if the human was in awe at the android standing in front of him. Hank furrowed his brows ever further at him, trying to gauge what emotion Connor was feeling, but his scans were coming up with no results. 

 

Suddenly, Connor’s lips tipped up into a small smile, his confused expression of awe turning into one of extreme happiness. The man leaned up from the back of the couch, letting go of the bottle in his hand and almost dropping it before Hank could grab hold and move it to the table. Connor reached a hand up and let his fingers brush against the android’s cheek. 

 

“You-You're so… b-beautiful, Hank. W-Why did Cybe-Cyberlife make you so… um… good l-looking? W-Were you supposed to m-make me lo-love y-y-you?” Connor’s words were still stumbling and the man seemed like he was unsure about how his words sounded coming out of his mouth. 

 

The android couldn't help but chuckle at Connor; however serious the situation was, Connor was still absolutely adorable. Hank grabbed the hand that was still touching his face and brought it forward to touch his lips, gently placing a kiss on the smooth and soft skin. 

 

“Come on, Connor. You need to get to bed.” The android leaned down and kissed Connor’s forehead before bringing his hands lower and shoving them between the couch and Connor’s bum. The android could feel the human wrap his arms around his neck to help in pulling his head closer. 

 

Hank could feel a can of Palm Bay clutched in the man's hand against his neck. When he managed to grab that, Hank didn't know. Hank would deal with that when Connor’s was laying down. The android easily lifted Connor from the couch and into his arms. He could feel the man clutching to him tightly, it might have even hurt, had he been human. 

 

The android was easily able to avoid all of the cans and bottles that littered the floor on the way to the bedroom. He had to hold in a laugh at the thought of how many times Connor was going to have to get up during the night to that he could go to the bathroom. By the looks of the living room, it seemed like Connor had drunk enough for four grown men. 

 

Hank gently pushed open the door with his foot as he heard the empty can of alcohol fall to the floor with a small ‘ting’. Hank could feel Connor’s body becoming heavier as the man drifted into sleep thanks to all of the alcohol in his system. The man was mumbling nonsense as Hank pulled back the covers and fluffed his pillows so Connor would be as comfortable as possible. 

 

When Hank laid the man down on the soft bed, he had a hard time getting the arms around his neck off. Connor was clutching to his tightly, not letting him get even a foot away.

 

“Connor, I need you to let go, please.”

 

“D-Don't leave, H-Hank.” Connor slurred with a tear running down his cheek. Hank was confused, just a second ago, Connor was giggling like a small child and now he was crying? Human emotions were difficult, they often switched on a dime; especially Connor’s, he realized. Connor was a very difficult human, from what Hank knew. The man seemed to be filled with a lot of emotional trauma and many difficulties throughout his life. It seemed to Hank that Connor was living with more baggage than the average man. 

 

“I have to clean the living room, Con,” Hank informed. 

 

“Not yet,” Connor whispered, opening his eyes all the way. Apparently, Connor was wide awake again. Hank sighed as he leaned down and left a kiss on his lips. He pulled the blankets over top of the man and got into the bed beside him.

 

Connor chuckled a small drunken laugh before turning over onto his stomach and leaning over to place his lips on Hank’s. 

 

Hank graciously allowed the assault on his lips from the inebriated man, bringing his hand up to rest on the back of Connor’s neck, deepening the kiss. Connor’s tongue traced the androids lip asking for entrance and Hank happily allowed it.

 

Connor let out a small moan that Hank found to be just adorable. He let himself smile into the kiss as Connor’s hands found their way to his chest. Hank loved the feeling of Connor's hands on him, even when they weren't being intimate.

 

Hank didn't know why, but Connor just seemed to love having his hands on the android, not that Hank was one to complain anyway. The android thought that maybe it was the heat he produced or just the overall soft feeling of his skin. However, the further he got to into their relationship, the more he realized that it was just that Conor liked to have the reassurance that he was there.

 

Connor was a very tactile person. He liked to touch things and know the texture of things. Hank believed that he liked to be reassured that the android was still with him, just by touching. Logically, Hank was never going to leave and he wished he would be able to convey that to the man.

 

Due to Connor’s previous traumas, and the fact that he had already lost someone so close to him at such a young age, Hank figured that the man must have quite an issue with attachment. In Connor’s case,  he seemed to become very attached to the android so quickly, and Hank could understand why the man feared losing him, too. 

 

The loss of his brother had affected Connor greatly, and it showed in his everyday life, like the way he would hold onto the android for dear life when he was about to leave for work. It was like Connor was afraid to lose him every second of the day. However unhealthy it was, Hank felt loved when Connor acted like that, but he did want to help Connor heal so he didn't have to feel that kind of stress every day.

 

Hank was brought back to the present when he felt Connor’s fingers pulling on the waistband of his work pants. Along with that, Connor’s moans were getting louder and more insistent. They hadn't gotten very far into intense intimacy, not that Hank was bothered. He really had no sexual desires or needs, so he was perfectly fine with waiting until Connor was ready.

 

It seemed like he was ready  _ now _ , but right now he was extremely drunk. Hank was not going to go into anything while the man was compromised like this. Hank quickly moved his hands down to capture Connor’s and pulled them away from his waist. 

 

“Haaaank,” Connor whined in his ear after stopping his kiss.

 

“You're drunk Connor, this is not the time,” Hank whispered as he leaned up to leave a kiss on the man's cheek. 

 

“I still want it, wanted it all day.” Connor slurred. Hank’s artificial stomach tightened. He didn't know Connor was even thinking about it yet. It definitely made the man harder to refuse, but Hank kept a cool head. Connor was drunk, Hank would not do this when Connor didn't have a clear mind.

 

“Well, next time you're thinking about it, don't get drunk and we can talk when I get home.” 

 

Connor let out a loud sigh but complied much easier than Hank thought he would. The human laid his head on the android’s chest and sat quietly as he let himself get carried away by the sound of his thirium pump. 

 

A few minutes passed by, and Hank was almost sure that Conor was asleep without scanning him. However, when Connor lifted his head to rested his chin on the android's chest so that he could look him in the eye, he was proven wrong.

 

“I'm s-sorry...for getting d-d-drunk, baby,” Hank felt his heart swell at the nickname, he loved when Connor called him that. He chuckled lightly as he moved up a hand to Connor's hair, running it through the tangled curls. 

 

“I know you're sorry, Con. We can talk about it tomorrow when you’re more aware, okay?” The human let his eyes slip closed as he nodded slowly, and slinked off of Hank’s body to rest beside him. 

 

The man positioned himself so that he was on his side and his back was facing the android. Hank took the invitation and rolled onto his side, wrapping his arms around Connor’s waist and putting his face directly into the man's hair which smelled of delicious strawberry shampoo. 

 

It was about ten minutes later, Hank could fell the man shifting occasionally so he knew he wasn't asleep just yet. Hank thought about the mess in the living room and how it would need cleaning, and how much he would need to clean it. He would have to pour out everything that hadn't been drunk and had to stop himself from sending a vulgar message to Reed. 

 

“I miss him, Hank,” Connor’s voice startled him and he was confused as the words. ‘Who did he miss?’ Hank thought. The android pulled back slightly so that he could set his head on top of the man's shoulder so that he could see what he was looking at. 

 

Connor had pulled a small wallet-sized picture from under his pillow and Hank was confused to see that it was a picture of himself. He was smiling brighter that Hank had ever seen, his skin seemed to be glowing with happiness and he sees one of the man freckles that splattered his neck. 

 

But something was missing. It didn't take long for Hank to figure out the missing feature. The rogue curl that always hung on the man's forehead, no matter what you did. Hank himself had tried to style it out of his face but that one piece of hair was too much for Hank’s own programming, much to his disdain. 

 

When Hank scanned the image, he got the same information he had so many months ago. 

  
  


**Richard Henry Anderson**

 

**_Deceased_ **

  
  


Richard, or “Nines” as Hank had learned Connor referred to him as... Connor’s twin. 

 

Hank pulled Connor closer to him, making sure the human was flush against him, making sure Connor knew he was there. He brought a hand to rest directly on Connor’s chest as the man began to cry so that he could keep better track of his vitals. It was going to be a long night. 

 

“I know babe,” Hank whispered in his ear, only being able to listen as Connor cried his heart out for much too long.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really need to add more tags! But I hate tagging so much!!  
> Hope you guys liked it! Please leave me some feedback, I live off it!!
> 
> Thanks again to the great LadyAmalthea, I owe you everything! 
> 
> Hope you all have a beautiful day!!


	20. Another Day

Hank awoke the next morning to the feeling of Connor scrambling to get out of bed. The man fell to the floor as he rolled out the bed and quickly stood up and rushed out of the door with his hand over his mouth. Connor was still weak in his left leg, which caused him to stumble even in the best circumstance. 

 

Hank let out a small sigh as he too rolled out of bed to follow his partner to the bathroom. Connor was kneeling in front of the toilet while emptying his stomach contents into the porcelain bowl. 

 

Hank opened up the cabinet above the sink and pulled out a small washcloth. He wet the fabric with cold water and wrung it out until it stopped dripping. The android got onto his knees beside the sick human, waiting until Connor was done throwing up. 

 

When Connor had begun gagging without anything coming out of his mouth, Hank pulled him back just slightly from the toilet. He brought the cloth to Connor's' mouth to wipe the vomit off of his chin and lips. Connor leaned forward, putting his face into the crook of Hank's neck and letting out a little groan of pain.

 

“I’m sor-sorry Hank, I w-won't drink again.” Connor hiccuped as a few tears fell down his face and splashed against the android's skin. Hank knew that was probably a lie, he knew the man would try, but just like with any addiction, there would be bumps in the road. 

 

Connor had been addicted to alcohol long before the android had met him. That was a lot of time to be dependant on the substance to take his pain away. Hank hoped he could be that for him now, take away the pain and struggle of the real world. 

 

“I know Connor, you'll be okay, we’ll get you cleaned up. A bath sound nice?” 

 

Connor nodded in Hanks's neck, sniffling pitifully. Hank stood slowly, bringing the human up with him. Hank set Connor down on the edge of the bathtub then reached behind him to turn on the water.

 

Hank noticed that Connor was now wearing a shirt, the man probably got cold during the night and put on the shirt that was on his bedside table. Hank gently took the man's shirt hem in his hands while lifting the material over Connor's head. Hank took the time to investigate the man's chest, running his hand down Connor's ribs, which were still visible, but not nearly as bad as they once were. 

 

“You've gained some weight, Connor, you're looking much better. Do you think you'll be able to eat breakfast?” Hank knew he was probably feeling sick and wouldn't want to eat, but if there was a chance he could eat, Hank wanted to feed him. 

 

As expected, Connor shook his head at the mention of food. His eyes slipped closed with the feeling of Hank's hands running over his chest to help lull him into a comfortable state. Hank loved the blessed look on Connor's face. He looked happy, and Hank was glad he got to be the one to do that for him. 

 

Hank then crouched down and slipped the sweatpants that Connor was wearing down his legs until they too sat on the floor with the t-shirt he had just removed. Connor now sat in only his boxers, and Hank could see him shivering from the cold air of the bathroom. The android stood once again, looking down at figure below him.

 

“Did you want to take off those by yourself or do you want me to do it?” Hank asked as he set his hands on the man's waist, rubbing the skin in a comforting matter. Connor looked up at the android with a small smile on his otherwise relaxed features. 

 

The man stood up, using Hank's arms to make sure he stayed steady and balanced. The human lifted himself up on his tiptoes so that he could capture the android's lips in a kiss. Hank smiled into the kissing, loving the attention Connor bestowed on him. 

 

“I got it, Hank, you can get ready for work.” 

 

Hank chuckled, leaning down when he realized that the tub was full. 

 

“I think I would actually like to spend the day with you, Connor. I’m going to call Fowler.” The android leaned down once again to kiss him. Usually, Hank wouldn't miss work as long as he knew Connor was safe and cared for during the day. But today, however, Hank felt a strong need to be with the human all day. 

 

“You don't have to skip work for me, Hank. I’ll be okay,”

 

“I know, I don't have to Connor, but I would much rather spend my day with you,” Hank liked watching Connor's cheeks redden when he said things like that. He enjoyed seeing how Connor felt about him. 

 

“Okay babes, I'll be in the living room when I’m done.” 

 

Hank nodded as he bent down to kiss the human one more time before his hands left Connor's hips, and he made his way to the bathroom door, leaving Connor his privacy and a warm bath. 

 

Hank made quick work of the messy living room. Every single can or bottle that still had alcohol in it was promptly poured down the kitchen sink, where the rest of Connor's alcohol had been poured months before. It made Hank feel a mix of emotions to see all the alcohol leaving the bottles and cans. 

 

He was happy that he was once again able to purge all of Connor's temptations, make his home life a happier and safer environment. Connor was not putting up a fight to keep any of the drinks, and he was thankful for that. Connor knew that this was bad, that he needed to stop.

 

On the other hand, Hank felt despair that he had to do this again. He hoped that Connor would be able to put this all behind him, that he would be able to move on without his addictions holding him back. The android knew that there was a good chance that Connor would feel the need to relapse, he had just wished that he would have been there to put a stop to it. 

 

Hank wished he would have been there to support the man when he felt himself falling into the temptation. Hank wished he could blame everything on Reed. If it wasn't for him, Connor wouldn't have drunk anything, if it wasn't for him, the temptation would have never been brought into his house. 

 

However, he couldn't blame it all on the other detective. Connor should have said no. He should have left the drinks in the corner and left them alone or maybe had poured them down the drain himself. Maybe he should have waited for Hank to come home so that they could talk about it, should have told Reed he didn't want to take the alcohol. But he didn't, he allowed himself to be entrapped by the temptation.

 

They would work on it, together. Hank would help him get back on the right track. Soon enough, Connor would be able to have a drink at a restaurant and not need to have more. Connor wouldn't need Hank to stop him or tell him when enough was enough. Hank's goal was to make sure Connor could do those things himself. 

 

He knew Connor could get there, it would just take time. He would help him of course, do whatever he thought would help to get Connor to that point. He wasn't sure what he could do that would help him, but he was sure they could have an in-depth conversation about the next step. Hopefully this time they could go forward in a healthy way instead of just ignoring it and trying not to face it again. 

 

After all the alcohol was gone from the house, the android brought the empties to the recycling bins outside of the back door. The android left the door open as he heard Sumo running up behind him. The large dog ran through the doorway and began to roll around in the large pile of orange and red leaves. 

 

Hank chuckled to himself as he watched the animal and decided to let him enjoy the cool weather. As he was about to enter the house, he noticed Richy sitting in the doorframe. The cat looked up at him, letting out a small ‘meow’. Hank stepped aside to allow the cat outside, he leaned down and ran his hand down the animal's back as he walked. 

 

“Just stay in the yard, or Connor will lose it,” He chuckled to the cat. Richy only looked back at him for a second before running into the leaves to join Sumo. Hank closed the door as he entered the kitchen to keep the cool air out. 

 

Hank made his way over to the living room, taking a seat on the couch as he started calling the captain. 

 

**_“Hank, you're late.”_ **

 

_ “I am aware Captain. I must inform you that I will not be into work today. Connor had a rough night last night and I would like to be with him for the day.” _

 

There was silence over the line for a full ten seconds. 

 

_ “Captain?”  _

 

_ “ _ **_Why don't you bring him in today to see everyone? I’m sure he could use some social interaction.”_ **

 

Hank thought about it for a moment, Connor  _ had  _ been in the house for an extensive period of time. They didn't really go out very often, it seemed as if Connor was more comfortable in the walls of his house. 

 

That wasn't really normal, was it? People needed to go out and be with others, it's not normal to be in the house as much as Connor was. Hank decided that it would be good for Connor to get out. He knew everyone at the station missed the young lieutenant. They often asked Hank to send messages of goodwill onto the man so he knew that they were thinking of him. 

 

Hank also knew that Connor missed his friends. He often told the android stories that involved the others in the office. Connor thought of them as well. Hank thinks bringing them together again will be a good idea. 

 

“ _ That is a lovely idea Captain, I think Connor would greatly appreciate the time out of the house and would benefit from seeing all of his friends and co-workers,”  _

 

Fowler gave a hum of approval over the line. Hank could practically hear the smile over the phone, it seemed as though the Captain missed him as well. 

 

**_“Good, good. So we can expect you within the hour then?”_ **

 

_ “Of course Captain, see you soon.”  _

 

Hank smiled to himself, thinking of the look on Connor’s face when he got to see all of his friends again. Hank got to see their co-workers every day since he returned,  but he knew that it had been a long time since the human had gotten to actually talk to them. 

 

Hank looked around, picking up the dishes that were laying around the kitchen and living room. He wanted to make the house nice and clean before he and Connor left for a while. That way, when they got home, Hank could just cuddle his boyfriend and shower him will all type of attention. 

 

“Are you almost ready, Connor?” Hank called down the hall, hoping Connor was almost ready, he couldn't wait to take him out for the day, it would make the human so happy. Hank lived to see Connor happy, there was nothing better than a happy Connor. 

 

“Coming!” Connor called, causing Hank to smile wider. The android put the dishware in the sink, beginning to wash them as he waited for the human to enter this part of the house, only three dishes left to wash. Two cups and one plate. One cup had thiruim residue in it, Hank’s cup from yesterday. 

 

The other cup had alcoholic residue in it. It saddened Hank a bit. It seemed as if Connor had tried to pace himself yesterday, starting off by pouring a small amount of alcohol into the cup. But it eventually had snowballed, ending with Connor surrounded by empties. They really needed to talk about next steps, but that was for later. 

 

Hank shook his head to rid himself of the though and continued to wash the few dishes in the sink. All of those important conversations could wait. Today was going to be a good day, Hank would make sure of it. He would do anything to make Connor happy. 

 

Just as Hank was finishing up with the last dish, he felt Connor’s presence on the other side of the room. Hank turned around with a large smile on his face, expecting Connor’s face to match. However, he was quite sad to see furrowed brows and a frown. 

 

Connor’s left hand was placed on the wall to steady himself and his other was on his stomach. His bad foot was just barely touching the floor, which was usual as he was still getting used to using it.

 

Hank slowly walked across the room until he was standing in front of the man. He gently placed his hands on the human's hips, trying to gain his attention. When Conor didn't look up at him, the android reached forward and placed a finger under the human's chin and gently pushed it upwards to get Connor to look at him. 

 

“Is something wrong, Connor?” 

 

The man just shook his head, not giving Hank a verbal answer. Not clear enough for the android. 

 

“Connor, you look sad and your heart is beating slightly faster than usual, are you feeling okay?” 

 

Connor let out a deep sigh, leaning forward to place his head on the android's chest, cuddling into his warm embrace. Hank wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, still confused about what he was feeling.

 

“I have a bad feeling, Hank,” The android was familiar with human’s intuitions or ‘gut feelings’. He knew that they often had very little evidence or reason to be trusted, but humans put a lot of faith in them. He knew that there was usually a good chance that something bad could actually happen. 

 

“What kind of bad feeling Connor? Are you sick?” The android turned to lead the human to the couch. He had one arm supporting Connor’s waist, helping to keep him upright which was quite difficult without the use of the wall or furniture. 

 

Hank allowed them both to sit down on the couch, running one hand through the man's curly hair and the other rested on his knee, rubbing gentle circles to try to calm him. Hank did a quick scan over the man to see if anything besides the obvious heart rate was amiss. 

 

Connors stress level was in the high sixties and he seemed to be sweating at a high rate; he was also shaking just slightly in place, his hands being the most noticeable. The android brought his hand up to rest on the man's forehead checking for a fever. No fever. Connor wasn't sick and all signs seemed to be pointing to high anxiety. 

 

Now it was difficult to decide if Connor’s symptoms were the cause or the result of Connor’s bad feeling. The heart rate, stress levels, perspiration, and shaking could be making Connor feel like something bad was going to happen, or it could be the way he was physically feeling making Connor think something bad was going on.   

 

Hank hoped it would pass later in the day. After they had gone out and had some fun with their friends he was sure Connor would forget whatever he was feeling now. Not to mention the fact that Connor consumed a large amount of alcohol last night after months without a drop, must also be having an effect on him. Hank could imagine that the man was extremely hungover which could only be adding to how he was feeling. 

 

“No, it just feels like something bad is going to happen,” Connor confessed to the android, leaning into his arms once again, looking for comfort. Hank was more than willing to give it. Anything to make the human feel more at ease. 

 

“Well Connor, I can assure you that today to going to be a very very good day.”

 

“How so?” Connor asked, pulling back from the hug to look at Hank with furrowed brows. Hank smiled to himself, Connor looks cute when he was confused, Hank just wanted to kiss him and keep the man in his arms forever. 

 

“When I called the captain to tell him that I was going to stay home today, he offered for us to go in so we could see everyone.” Connor raised his eyebrows and his eyes went wide with surprise before furrowing down in a suspicious manner. The man crossed his arms over his chest while looking at the android. 

 

“While everyone is working? That doesn't sound like something Fowler would do,” Connor retorted causing Hank to laugh. 

 

“Well my love, it seems to me that the Captain misses you, and I know for a fact that all the detectives miss you as well,” Hank smirked. Connor still looked confused but Hank could see a spark of excitement in his eyes, he was excited to get out for a bit. He probably also realized how much he needed it. 

 

“Fine, but I’m driving!” Connor yelled as he jumped up from the couch. His still weak left leg couldn't support his full weight, causing him to have to lean forward to catch himself on the coffee table with a quiet yelp. Hank stood up and brought his hands to the man's waist, helping him to stand up straight and steady. 

 

“I don't think so, Connor. You are still weak in your leg and it hasn't been three years since your last seizure, only a couple of months. You can’t drive till you've been medically cleared,” Connor turned around slowly and leaned forward so that the now standing close enough to the android if he were to need support. 

 

He moved his hands on top of Hank’s, gently wrapping his fingers around the larger ones and pulling the hands of the android off of his waist. Hank figured he was probably trying to show that he was strong enough without help, but Hank knew better. 

 

“Come on Hank, what are the chances that I’m going to have a fit while I’m driving?” Connor asked as he crossed his arms over chest, swaying very slightly in the spot, but in no danger of falling over. Hank leaned in close enough that their noses were barely touching. 

 

“Too high,” Hank said simply, leaning in closer so that he could gently kiss the human. Hank felt Connor smiling into the kiss. Hank’s arms reached around the human's waist, pulling Connor closer to him so that their chests were flush together. Connor’s hands traveled up his arms until they met around the androids neck. 

 

Hank lifted Connor off of the floor gently. He swayed back and forth before putting the human back on the floor and ending the kiss

 

“And I’m not willing to take the chance of losing my reason to live.” Connor felt his heart swell at the android’s words. Hank always made sure that Connor knew how much he was loved and how important he was to the android. Connor loved feeling loved and he didn’t feel anything less when he was with the android. 

 

“Fine, you can drive,” Connor grumbled as he parted from the hug and started to walk off towards the door. Hank was right on his heels making sure he stayed stable. Connor’s leg was getting stronger and stronger every day, Hank assumed within a few days he would be completely back to normal. 

 

They made it to the door and as the human was slipping his shoes on, Hank putting on his own. The android was finished faster than the human as per usual and waited by the door with Connor’s coat in hand. Connor smirked when he looked up and saw Hank holding his coat, ready for Connor to come over and put it on. 

 

With Hank’s help, the human slipped on his coat one arm at a time, giggling to himself. Hank zipped up the warm garment and leaned down to kiss Connor once again. Connor smiled up at him, and Hank was reminded once again how handsome he was. 

 

Hank opened the door and ushered Connor out of it. Today was going to be a good day. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hank pulled into the precinct parking lot, looking over to smile at his human companion. However, his smile faded when he saw such a conflicted look on Connor’s face. His eyebrows were furrowed down and his lips slightly parted in a frown. He looked confused or concerned and Hank didn't know why.

 

Hank reached across the center console and wrapped his hand around the human's hand, holding tightly. Connor’s head snapped over to the android, jumping in his seat as if Hank had startled him. Hank was confused, why was Connor acting like this?

 

“Are you okay, Connor?”  Hank asked while rubbing circles over the human's knuckles. 

 

“I still have a bad feeling Hank,” Connor whispers, his eyebrows only dipping down further until he thought the man was going to cry. 

 

Hank let out a small sigh, wishing he could just take every bad feeling away from the man and make him only feel happiness and love. However, to feel things like that, you have to feel bad emotions too. 

 

“We don't have to do this today, Connor. If you're not ready to come back, we can do this another day.” 

 

“No, I’m okay, I don't know why but I just do,” Hank understood, having done his fair share of research on human intuition when Connor had first mentioned it this morning. 

 

Hank thought for a moment, he wanted to make Connor as comfortable as possible but he wanted to make sure he got to see everyone, social interaction was important. 

 

“How about this, Connor… we’ll go in just for a little bit, instead of the whole day. We can go say hello to everyone and talk to Fowler, and then we’ll be on our way. How about that?” 

 

Hank could basically see Connor thinking. Every time Connor was making a decision he would pull his lower lip into his mouth and start to chew on it while he weighed the pros and cons. And that was exactly what he was doing now. 

 

Hank watched as he pulled his lip into his mouth and bit it before letting it go. It made Hank only want to kiss him more than usual. It was almost impossible for him to drag his eyes away from his lips. Many things he wanted to do should not be performed in the parking lot of the precinct. 

 

They made short work of the trip inside the building. Their hands were clasped together as they walked passed all of the receptionists: some Android, some human. They all greeted them warmly, excited to see the lieutenant back from his extensive leave. They also welcomed back Hank who appeared to be the lieutenant's partner in more than one way. 

 

Everyone in the officer had their suspicions about the two, but it had never really been confirmed. Hank was pretty sure the captain knew but he wasn't too sure about everyone else. Well, walking into work while holding hands was definitely one way to show everyone what was going on. 

 

As the two walked into the bullpen, it seemed like every single officer and detective was in there, much more people than usual. When they took their first step into the room, every head snapped towards them, away from their terminal or paperwork. 

 

All of the faces turn into wide smiles as they see the young lieutenant. Hank is worried for a moment. He knows Connor doesn't like crowds or a large number of people in a small area. Hank hadn't known that the Captain was going to gather everyone in one room together. He was worried it would a little overwhelming for his partner. 

 

The android squeezed Connor’s hand, trying to show him that he had his support and remind the man that he was still there with him. The android had to imagine that having all eyes on him and seeing a large number of people in front may push Connor’s limits just a tad. He was relieved to feel the man squeeze his hand back and could feel him get a little bit closer to his side. 

 

Asking for protection, and someone to keep him held down and grounded. Hank was more than willing to take on that job. He wanted to be whoever Connor needed him to be and the man was often asking for protection and Hank was happy to supply him with that. 

 

Tina, Chris, Ben, and Jack all rushed their way over to the pair at the front of the precinct. These were the officers that Hank and Connor considered as their friends. They were the people that they all spent their time with when they were working on just a regular day. 

 

Tina reached them first and quickly wrapped her arms around Connor's neck pulling him into a huge hug. Soon enough, Ben and Chris were behind them, joining in on the hug. Hank could tell that Connor was uncomfortable but by the look of things, his stress wasn't too high, so there was no danger. 

 

“Connor! We have all missed you so much!”

 

“It really hasn't been the same without you,” 

 

“I almost miss hearing Gavin complaining loudly from across the whole room.”

 

“Oh yeah! Reed has been pretty silent lately, I think he misses you too!” 

 

“How have you been feeling?”

 

“Is everything healing properly?” 

 

“When can you come back? It’s just not the same without you!”

 

Hank could tell that things were getting bad quick. Connor’s head was snapping back and forth between each person, trying to give them an answer or continue a conversation but he was just unable to concentrate. 

 

The man was smiling nervously, trying to connect with each person who demanded his attention. Hank could see the human becoming overwhelmed and stressed out. Connor’s hands began to shake and sweat was starting to gather at his hairline. Hank squeezed his hand, trying to see how much Connor was taking in but when he wasn't met with a firm squeeze in return, he knew Connor needed help. 

 

Hank let go of the man’s and wrapped his arm around Connor’s waist, bringing him as close as possible. The android put on an award-winning smile as the curious detectives and the ever larger officers behind them awaited answers.

 

“Well Connor, we have certainly missed being at work right? The hustle and bustle of the office is a very welcome sound wouldn't you say?” Hank talked loud, causing everyone else to cease their conversations. He hoped this gave Connor some form of direct conversation to follow up with. Giving Connor one conversation would be at easier than having multiple at the same time. 

 

“Umm...Yeah, I miss being at work and seeing everyone, it gets boring at home,” Connor’s voice still trembled but he was getting the words out in a single straight thought and Hank was hopeful for that. 

 

“And you’re healing quite well aren't you? Leg hardly bothers you anymore, right?” 

 

“Oh, yeah! I think I’ll be able to come back in a couple of weeks.” Hank gave Connor side a small pat on his side where the android was holding him, congratulating him on a job well done. 

 

Connor looking up to him with a large smile, gratitude evident in his eyes. Hank could already sense his stress levels lowering, Connor was more relaxed which in turn made Hank feel similarly.  

 

“Now, you’ll have to excuse us for the short visit but we have a very busy day planned and we must get a move on. Connor will see you all in a few weeks and I will see you tomorrow. Good day everyone.” 

 

The android swiftly steered Connor away from the large group of people. He could audible hear Connor let out a large breath of relief along with all the whispers of people behind them. He agreed it was quite an odd conversation, but it was necessary. Hank was almost surprised by how easy lying had come, maybe it was from all the time he was spending with Connor. Definitely worth it though. 

 

“I'm sorry Hank, I don't know what happened, I've never frozen up like that before,” Connor sounded distraught over the incident but Hank didn't think any fault laid within him. 

 

“Don't worry Connor, you were overwhelmed. Everyone needs a timeout every once in a while, you’ve had a hard morning.” 

 

Connor relaxed instantly at Hank’s words. The android rubbed his hand up and down the human’s side, comforting him as they walked towards Fowler's office. Hank was surprised by how eager he was to return home, he just wanted to cuddle with his human for the rest of the day. 

 

The couple wasn't even at the office stairs when Fowler exited through the glass door and looked down at the two with a big smile and his arms crossed.

 

“Well if it isn't my two best detectives.” He laughed. 

 

“Hey Jeffrey,” Connor replied causal as if nothing had ever changed. 

 

“I’m pleased to see you're looking better, Connor.”

 

Connor shrugged with a small smile to himself; Hank could tell he was uncomfortable about being stared at, but he wasn't stressed. Hank knew that neither of the men was one for lengthy conversations, so he was happy that they were going to be on their way home soon. 

 

“Have you gone to see the therapist that we talked about Connor? They have to clear you before I let you come back.” Fowler asked, but Hank could tell that he already knew the answer. Hank was surprised that Fowler cared so much, he could really see that everyone here cared for the young lieutenant.

 

“I working on it, Cap,” Connor joked. The two men laughed together, Hank was was happy to Connor actually relaxing with some on. However, the air was now filled with the awkward silence of the two not knowing what to say, causing Connor’s stress levels to rise just slightly. 

 

“My apologies Captain, but we have a very busy day planned and we must get going,” Connors posture stiffened under his arm and the android was proud that he could deliver that kind of reassurance to him. 

 

“Oh yeah sure, sure go. See you in a couple of weeks, lieutenant?” 

 

“Of course, Captain”

 

“Good, and Hank?” 

 

“ Yes, Captain Fowler?” 

 

“You better be here tomorrow,”

 

“Yes sir,” The android laughed as they made their way to the exit. 

 

As the couple reached the car, Connor grabbed onto the android’s sleeve and pulled him close so that their chests were touching. The human leaned up to press a kiss to his lips. Hank wrapped his arms around the human’s hips while Connor wrapped his own around Hank’s neck. 

 

When the two separated, Connor rested his head on the android chest, listening to the androids robotic heartbeat. 

 

“Thanks for taking me out today Hank, it was really nice.”

 

Hank was just glad Gavin was off today, he doesn't think he would have been able to contain himself. 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The ride home was quiet. Much too quiet. 

 

Hank knew that Connor had quite a hard day and he was probably very exhausted, but it wasn't like Connor to not talk  _ at all  _ during the car ride home. 

 

Hank decided to give him time though, maybe he was thinking about how he reacted at the precinct and was trying to figure out why he had such a reaction. 

 

Hank would talk to him about it when they got home. He would tell Connor that it was okay to need a time out and that it was the reason why he wasn't feeling up to it at the time. He had a rough night last night and had been dealing with trauma for months. It's not his fault he wasn't ready.

 

Maybe they shouldn't have pushed him to go out so soon, at least he had enjoyed it.

 

Hank spent most of the ride researching local therapist and their area of expertise. Fowler was right, Connor needed to see someone beside him that he could talk out what had happened in the past year or his life. 

 

Hank pulled into the driveway, turning off his car and taking off his seatbelt. The android looked over to Connor and saw that the man was sitting pin straight and eerily still. 

 

“Connor?”

 

The android was about to reach out and touch the human's shoulder where Connors body started trembling. Hanks eyebrows furrowed but then it clicked. 

 

Connors body began to thrash, his eyes rolling back and his body fell back into the seat. Hank felt like he was frozen, only able to watch as Connor’s body put the man through awful torture.

 

“Shit!”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! I hope you like it!! Comment and let me know what you think, your comments really keep me going. Also, tell me anything you would like to see from this story!
> 
> Thank again to my beautiful beta-reader, LadyAmalthea! I love her and you should really check out her works! One of my favorite writers!!!!
> 
> Thanks again and have a beautiful day!


	21. Memories to Make

Hank jumped out of the car, slamming the door behind him roughly. He ran over to the other side, worry taking over him as he thought about how dangerous this situation is. Connor is in a cramped space, with no room to move and many things around him that he could bash his head into. 

 

Hank knew the dangers of moving Connor while he was in this state were plentiful. He could jerk out of Hank's arms and fall to the ground, injuring himself further. But if he stayed in the car, he could hit his head on the frame, or the window, or anything else. 

 

Hank just hoped that it would be over fairly quickly so he could get Connor out of the car. The sheer danger of this happening in the car was making Hank's stress levels rise dramatically. 

 

_ 0:15 _

 

Hank was at a loss. He didn't know if he should run in the house so he could get something to protect the man's head, or if he should stay there and just use his hands to keep Connor's head safe. What if he began to vomit? How was Hank supposed to get him into a position where he wouldn't be in danger?

 

The android finally made it to the passenger side door and was horrified to see that there was a splatter of blood on the window. It looked as if Connor had smashed his head against the side window enough to create a wound on his head. 

 

The state-of-the-art android instantly started scanning Connor's head and found that there was a small fracture on the side of his head. Not too dangerous as of yet, but it was doomed to spread if he hit his head again. 

 

Hank whipped the door open and tried to gently press Connor's head to the back of the seat so that it wouldn't hit the window again. However, just a second after he had placed his hand on the man's forehead, Connor leaned forward and wiggled his head out of the android's grasp. 

 

_ 0:30 _

 

“Connor? Can you hear me? I’m here with you baby, I’m here Connor you're okay,” Hank could feel the saline solution dripping out of his eyes, no matter if he knew what to do or if it happened in an ideal place, it was so terrifying to watch. 

 

It was scary to see someone he loved so much going through such an agonizing experience. Harder still, to watch Connor suffer while his body betrayed him. Hank just wanted to make it go away and make Connor feel better, but some things are just out of his control. 

 

Hank reached down and recline the seat until Connor was laying flat on his back. He opened the back door as well, hoping that maybe the fresh air would be good for the seizing man. He also reached over and clicked open the seat belt so that Connor wouldn't be restrained. 

 

Hank could do nothing but watch as Connor thrashed and shook around in his seat, he was unable to do anything as Connor suffered immense torture. It hurt for him to watch as time continued to pass, just willing for the shaking to stop 

  
  


_ 1:45 _

  
  


Hank remembered perfectly that by this time, the first seizure of Connor's that he witnessed, had ended. His body would start to slow down as the shaking ended and Hank could finally breathe.  

 

This time, however, Connor was still trembling and thrashing with no sign of slowing down. The android continued to cry, trying to muffle his sobs as he watched the love of his life, not in control of his own body. He could hear Sumo barking from the back yard, he seemed to know that something was wrong, as he always did. 

  
  


_ 3:00 _

 

Time was passing too fast. This should be done by now. Connor should be well on the way to recovery. It had been too long, and it was scary to see Connor like this. He just wanted to scream for someone to come help him, to get Connor to the hospital. 

 

However, at the same time, he knew that Connor wasn't in any statistical danger. There was no danger for another two minutes or so. There was still time. Time for this all to stop. It was just terrifying to watch. 

 

Suddenly, from Connor's still-shaking body, he heard a cough. That wasn't something that struck him as odd, although he wasn't sure how that happened. What did catch his attention, however, was the white foam now making its way out of the man's mouth. Now  _ that _ was something he had never seen before. 

 

Hank knew in his mind, from the large amounts of research he had done on the disorder, that the only reason there was foaming of the mouth was because since the mouth was forced shut, the salivary glands were stimulated and produced extra spit. However, seeing it happen in front of him, caused his stress levels to spike. 

 

_ 3:30 _

 

Hank also noticed that the wound on Connor's head had bled profusely, making a small stain on the car seat. Hank quickly scanned the man again, the fracture had not gotten worse, but things were not getting any better. 

 

_ 3:45 _

 

Hank couldn't wait any longer, he wasn't going to wait for things to get any worse. He is going to stop this right now. 

 

**_“911, what's your emergency”_ **

 

_ “Um yes, hi. My boyfriend has been having a seizure for three minutes and forty-nine seconds. We are in his car and he hit his head off the window, now his skull is fractured. He just started foaming from the mouth. We need help immediately.” _

 

Hank had never heard himself sound so afraid and that itself was enough to make everything so much worse. Connor meant so much to him, even though he was an android and couldn't feel pain in the same way humans did, seeing Connor like this, hurt him. Badly. He loved him so much even though he had never said it yet. He couldn't imagine his life without him. 

 

**_“Okay sir, I need you to stay calm, an ambulance is on the way to your location, do not try to drive towards the hospital. You are an android correct sir?”_ **

 

Hank didn't know how she knew he was an android. Maybe their calls came through differently because of their internal calling device, or maybe it was because Hank already knew about his fracture. 

 

_ “Yes, yes I am. My name is Hank. Please hurry… he has never had a seizure this long before. I don't know what to do.” _

 

**_“Hank, I need you to tell me what your stress levels are at, try to keep them as low as possible. The ambulance is only a minute or so away,”_ **

 

Hank was trying his absolute best to keep his voice as calm and steady as possible. As an android, his voice was naturally steady and calm, but when his emotions took control of him in the way that they are now, it was almost impossible to talk with confidence. He nearly forgot to do a diagnostic and check his stress levels. 

 

_ “Um okay, my stress levels are at 78. I need it to come faster! He's still bleeding!”  _ The android wanted to put pressure on the wound to stop it from bleeding but he knew that holding down the man's head extremely dangerous while he was in the middle of a seizure. 

 

He also distantly knew that his stress levels were much too high to be considered safe, but there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it right now. He was in a very stressful situation, his only human attachment to the world and true reason for being deviant could be dying right in front of him. It was unbearable. 

 

**_“The paramedics should be arriving right now. Hank, I need to ask you to try to get your stress levels down. He is getting help, everything is going to be okay, alright, Hank?”_ **

 

The android felt his stress levels dropping just slightly. She was right: the paramedics would be here soon, he was going to be okay. He was thankful for the help of the sweet-voiced woman. Trying to keep his head clear at a time like this was difficult, but it certainly did help to have someone telling you that everything was going to be okay, even if you truly didn't believe it yourself. 

 

Suddenly, Hank heard a vehicle pull up behind him. He turned to look and saw an ambulance on the street.  _ ‘Thank God,’  _ he thought to himself. He watched, feeling more useless than he had ever felt in his whole life, as two paramedics jumped out of the back and the driver came out of the front. 

 

He quickly hung up the emergency call, he needed all his focus on Connor right now. The paramedics pulled a gurney out of the back of the vehicle. The driver of the ambulance ran up to face Hank and started talking immediately. 

 

“How long has he been seizing?” The medic asked quickly, putting his head into the car, to try and get a look and take in as much information as he could about the situation. 

 

“5 minutes and 12 seconds. He has epilepsy, this is only the second seizure I have seen, his last one was about ten months ago.” Hank's hands were clutching each other so tightly, he got a red pop-up warning him of the chance of frame damage due to increased pressure. 

 

The android hated feeling like this. He had faced death dozens of times since his activation, but those times could never amount to how he felt when Connor was in danger. When Connor had been stabbed at the store when he had been kidnapped when they found him but he was partially paralyzed. They hurt the android more than he let himself realize. 

 

Every time Connor got hurt, he felt like he was self-destructing, like his life was slowly disappearing in front of his eyes. He would rather be taken apart, bio-component by bio-component than watch Connor suffer any more than he had to.

 

The paramedic nodded to him before slightly pushing him out of the way so that he could have full access to Connor's convulsing body. The paramedics pushing the gurney were behind him in an instant, getting as close to the car as possible. 

 

Hank could feel copious amounts of saline solution coming out of his eyes, the android way of crying. He couldn't even contain it if he tried, his emotions were swarming his mind; it was hard to keep everything in check. 

 

He made eye contact with one of the paramedics with the gurney. They held each other's gaze for a moment before he realized that the other man was an android. The android was an HR400, originally designed as an android used for the Eden Club along with their WR400 counterpart. 

 

It made Hank happy to see the android had made a life for himself after the revolution, he went on to be more than what he was destined to be. Wasn't that the point of the revolution anyway? It was a wonderful thing to see. 

 

The android looked back to see how the other two were handling the situation before making his way over to a still panicking Hank. Hank could see the glossed over look came over the other android's eyes and knew that he had been briefly scanned. 

 

The paramedic reached into the front pocket of his uniform shirt, pulling out a small disk-like object that Hank couldn't quite understand the use of. 

 

“This magnetic disk has software inside that will lower your stress levels by thirty percent. May I assist you with your stress levels?” 

 

Hank was relieved to be free of the stress he had been carrying since the start of Connor seizure, so he nodded his head quickly and turned his head to allow the paramedic to administer the software. 

 

He instantly felt his thirium pump stop beating so hard; he felt calmer, more at ease. His mind was no longer clouded by access emotion and now, logic had a chance to filter through and aid his decision-making processes. It felt so much better. 48 felt a lot more manageable than 78. 

 

“Better?” The paramedic asked as he slipped the disk back into his pocket. 

 

“Much better, thank you,” Hank replied, to which the android nodded and rushed back over to assist in moving Connor to the gurney. Hank didn't believe that would be such a great idea, considering he was still seizing. But he trusted these paramedics, they must know what they’re doing, and what's best for Connor. 

 

As much as he hated it, the android had to take a step back so that the paramedics could work on Connor. He had to realize that he was not the one best knowledgeable on the situation, there was not a whole lot he could do at the moment. No matter how much he wanted to help. 

 

Hank had to turn away as Connor was quickly taken from the vehicle and rushed towards the ambulance. When the android looked back, he noticed that nothing was doing better as he hoped they would be in the moment he looked away. Connor was still shaking and trembling, foam was still pouring from his mouth and his head was still bleeding. 

 

Hank rushed over as they began to put Connor in the back of the ambulance. He couldn't bear to be far away from Connor for this long, especially when he was suffering like this. The android gently grabbed onto the side of the gurney, looking up to the android paramedic. 

 

“Please, please let me go with him! He needs me! I can't leave him!” Hank could hear how desperate he sounded and was surprised how unbothered by it he was. Thankfully, his stress levels were not rising dramatically, the software that the paramedic gave him must have had lasting effects. 

 

The android shook his head as he began to lift the gurney into the ambulance. “Sir, I can't let you in the back, we need all the space we can get, and then some. But, you can ride up front with the driver?”

 

The paramedic talked quickly, almost too quick for Hank to catch. Thankfully, he was able to make the connection in his mind and raced up to the front seat of the ambulance where the driver was already ready to go. Hank was about to ask what they were waiting for when he heard a bang on the wall separating him from Connor. A signal that they were ready to go. 

 

The ambulance, quickly but gently, began to move off the side of the road. Hank's mind was filled with emotion. Fear, loneliness, worry. What would he ever do if he lost Connor? Hank didn't think he would ever be able to go on without Connor; he was the only reason that Hank felt he had a purpose. 

 

Hank wanted so badly to tell Connor how much he loved him, but he was in the back, out of Hank's reach. He wanted to spend a whole day in bed, telling Connor all the reasons that he loved him. He could talk for years about all the reasons why Connor was amazing, even if Connor wouldn’t believe him, and Hank would just keep telling him until he did. 

 

There were so many things he could think of that he loved about the man. Connor was so kind and sweet, he made sure everyone was taken care of before himself. He was always more concerned with how Hank was feeling than himself. From what Hank had heard, before Connor's brother died, he was very immersed in his work. The other people in the station told him that Connor would spend days without going home, working on a case until he burned himself out. 

 

Hank loved how much Connor loved his animals. He loved seeing how happy Connor got whenever he spent time with Sumo or Richy. It was so precious to see his heart on his sleeve. 

 

The android loved the times when he got to see Connor vulnerable when he got to see Connor truly being himself. It was amazing to know that he was the only one who got to see Connor like that, to see him truly relaxed and not on the edge of frustrated. 

 

However, it was awful to see him vulnerable like  _ this _ . Seeing him suffering the way he was. Even though it physically hurt Hank to see Connor when he was suffering from a seizure, the android wanted to see him right now. Just to hold his hand and whisper reassurances into his ear. 

 

Hank got thinking, what would happen to Connor if he didn't stop seizing? Hank had never actually thought that something like this would happen, so he only had briefly looked into it. 

 

“What will happen if he seizures last too long?” He asked the paramedic driving the ambulance. The android could hear that his voice was weaker than it normally was, fear causing more of an effect as the day went on. 

 

“Well, how long has it been since he started seizing?

 

Hank was glad to realize that his timer was still running. He would keep it running until he saw Connor had stopped. 

 

“6 minutes and 28 seconds,” He informed. 

 

“That's good, means nothing too dangerous has probably happened. It only gets dangerous at around 10 minutes,” It did make Hank feel a little better that Connor was not necessarily in the danger zone just yet.

 

“What happens at 10 minutes? Please be honest with me” He asked, afraid of the answer. 

 

“Well, there's the possibility of intense brain damage, some of which could be long-lasting, and life-changing. Also, of course, it could be lethal if it’s bad enough.” The paramedic said very bluntly and casually. He looked over to see Hank quickly and must have noticed the horrific look on his face. Hank did ask him to be honest though. 

 

“I-I mean t-that won't happen though, it's very rare. I promise, he's in good hands with us.” He stammered, trying to correct himself. Hank slowly turned to face the window as he felt tears flowing down his face.  

 

“O-Okay."

 

Hank was jerked out of his thoughts when the ambulance stopped.  He quickly jumped out of the vehicle and made his way to the back where Connor was being brought out of the ambulance, still seizing. 

 

Hank felt his chest tighten, which makes it nearly ten minutes since he had started. Hank didn't want to think about what the paramedic had said, but he couldn't keep the fear away from his mind. 

 

What if Connor did die? Hank shuddered thinking about it. He didn't know what would happen after that, he didn't think he would be able to continue without him. Hank can only imagine that he would shut down very quickly without Connor.

 

Hank ran in behind the gurney that Connor was on, trying to catch up to him but unable to get close because of the paramedics. They ran past the general lobby and through a few doors to a more secluded part of the hospital. They were about to go through another doorway when a nurse stepped between him and the paramedic directly in front of him, stopping him from moving. 

 

“No! No, wait, please! I have to go with him!” He pleaded with the nurse that held him back from the door. She continued to push him towards what he could only think was a waiting room, forcing Hank to watch as the love of his life was wheeled to someone who could hopefully save his life. 

 

“I’m sorry sir, but you have to wait here. I’ll let you know as soon as I get any information on him.” Hank nearly missed what the woman had said to him, unable to focus on anything around him. The only thought on his mind was that Connor was getting farther and farther away from him. 

 

Hank felt himself being pushed into a chair gently by the kind nurse. She kneeled in front of the android trying to get his attention. Hank's gaze slowly moved from the door Connor just disappeared into, to the pretty looking woman in front of him. 

 

She gave the android a sweet smile, settling her hands on top of Hank's, which he now realized were shaking. Trying to find something to occupy his mind, the android did a brief scan on the woman, just for some general information.

 

**_Mary Reid_ **

 

**_36 years old_ **

 

“I know that it's scary. Believe me, I understand that it's terrifying. But you have to trust me, I promise that he is going to be alright. You just have to be patient, okay?” 

 

Hank slowly nodded his head, thankful for the reassurance. He knew that getting Connor here was the hardest part, but now he was with all the people who had all the tools needed to help him. 

 

This is the best place for him right now. 

 

“T-Thank you,” He whispered, letting a slight grin appeared on his face. He appreciated the nurse helping to calm him down. She must be used to it, working in a hospital. 

 

“No problem,” She smiled, “You just sit tight, okay? Hopefully, it won't be too long before we receive answers.” Hank nodded back at her, watching her as she stood and made her way over to her desk where she started typing on her computer. 

 

The android hated his part, waiting. He could remember waiting for hours when the detective was found after being kidnapped. That situation seemed to be much more severe than what was going on now because Connor had been… beaten. 

 

However, this time there could be a direct effect on Connor's brain. The most delicate human organ could very well have been damaged by Connor's seizing and then even further damaged by the added fracture. 

 

Hank knew that even if Connor came out of this with brain damage, he would stick with him. If Connor was completely different, Hank would still be there for him. Connor deserved that much no matter what happened. Hank would always take care of him. 

 

He shook his head; he can't think like that. Connor is going to be just fine. A few days of rest and then he’ll be back on his feet in no time. Hank chuckled to himself, thinking about how much he is going to baby and take care of Connor even though he knows the human will hate it. 

 

Hank loves taking care of the human even though Connor is not so comfortable about being taken care of. Hank loved helping him and making sure he had everything he needed. He loved feeling needed, especially by Connor. He loved when Connor would call him from the bedroom, just to ask for the blanket to be adjusted, although it seldom happened.

 

Hank couldn't wait until Connor and he got to go home. He wasn't going to let the man out of his sight. He would cook for him, make sure he was a comfortable temperature. He would cuddle with him all day and hold onto him so tightly. 

 

He couldn't wait till they got to go home, but he had to be patient. 

 

Honestly, he wasn't very good at it. 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Connor Anderson?” 

 

Hank didn't think he had stood up so fast in his whole life. The minute the words left the nurse's mouth, he was standing right in front of her, waiting for her to say something. 

 

“Is he okay?" He blurted out quickly. 

 

The nurse gave him a soft smile. Not an encouraging one, but not one of pity either. Not very good but not very bad either. She pushed one of her brown locks of hair out of her face before her blue eyes would meet his again. 

 

“We won't know how he is mentally until he wakes up, but he is stable and recovering. So you can go to visit him if you would like.”

 

The android was nervous. He didn't want to do any more waiting, he wanted to know Connor's condition right now. He wanted to complain, but his need to see Connor outweighed his need for more information. 

 

The kind woman noticed the look on his face and made sure to reassure him. “Don't worry, there is nothing as of yet that would suggest any brain damage, the doctor is confident that he will recover just fine.” Her sweet voice helped Hank believe what she was saying. She sounded much too kind to be leading him on with promises of his lover's safety. 

 

The android followed her as she led him through two hallways on the way to Connor's room. Hank berated himself for allowing this situation to take place too many times. Wasn't this like the third or fourth time he had to be brought to an injured Connor's room? He had to do a better job of protecting the human. 

 

Connor shouldn't be ending up in the hospital so many times in just several months. He was going to do better. He  _ needed _ to be better, for Connor. 

 

Hank's breath hitched as they stopped in front of one of the hospital rooms. He didn't even know his breathing could do that. The android wanted to see Connor more than anything, but he was afraid of what he would see. Was he ready to see someone he loved in a situation like this?

 

It didn't matter. Connor needed him right now, his discomfort was nothing compared to what Connor was probably feeling. And probably not even close to how Connor would feel if he woke up without Hank there with him. 

 

It was undeniably terrifying to go through a seizure, but to go through a seizure and then wake up in a hospital? And then not even having someone there to comfort you? Hank needed to be that person. Connor would need to share his fear and discomfort with someone and Hank was going to be that someone. 

 

The nurse placed a hand on the android's arm, getting his attention once again. “Don't worry Hank, everything is going to be okay, I promise you. Now get in there, he could be waking up any time now.” She quickly walked back the way they came before Hank had a chance to respond. However, he did have time to think about how thankful he was that she had been so kind to him. 

 

Hank felt his stress levels rise slightly, but pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He needs to keep calm, for Connor. 

 

The android slowly pushed the door open and was softened at the sight. Connor was lying peacefully in the hospital bed, the blankets pushed down to his waist and the hospital gown pulled away from his chest, exposing his creamy white skin. 

 

A few pads and monitors were attached to the man's chest, tracking things Hank couldn't even begin to understand. He was only built for detective work anyways. There was a white bandage wrapped around the human's head where he had hit it on the window. Thankfully, it was clean and showed no signs of further bleeding. 

 

He looked almost… cute, though Hank hated to say it. This was far from a 'cute' situation, but the android couldn't deny that a shirtless and sleeping Connor was always nice to look at. He looked like he was just relaxing on a day off and decided to sleep way past noon. Hank only wished it were that innocent. 

 

He quickly made his way over to the stool sitting beside the bed and quietly took a seat. The android leaned over to rest his arms on the mattress that seemed to swallow the human whole. These beds always made Connor look much too small. 

 

Hank gently reached over and let the skin on his hand recede, leaving only the white plasti-frame that was faintly glowing blue, between the cracks where the plastic met. It was quite an unusual thing for an android body to do, but something Hank had found himself doing a lot lately. He was aware that it had to do with Connor because it only ever happened when Hank was with him. He would have to look into it later. 

 

Hank allowed his hand to rest on the human's chest gently as the blue glow became brighter. Hank knew that since Connor was human, this would feel like nothing to him. But for Hank, it made all of his emotions stronger. Even when he couldn't properly interface with him, it was still a rather emotional experience for him. 

 

Hank looked through all of his memories to find his very favorites. All of them included Connor, of course. When they got Richy. Their first kiss. Finding out that Connor could feel in his lower leg again. The first day they met, even considering how hostile Connor was that night in Jimmy's bar. Every lazy Sunday they spent just admiring each other in bed. Each case they solved together.

 

Every memory that Connor was apart of was beautiful and precious and Hank wouldn't trade them for the world. The android wanted to remember every single second they spent together, good or bad, not that there were many bad ones anyway. He couldn't wait to add to his collection of memories with Connor. 

 

He couldn't wait to add to their family, maybe move to a bigger house. Maybe Connor would like a house in the country, with lots of room for animals that they would love. If Connor ever wanted to change his career, Hank would support him fully. If he wanted to go back to school, they would make it work. He would do whatever he had to, to make Connor's dreams come true. 

 

He couldn't wait until they got married, he had planned out his proposal more times than he had done a diagnostic and had already thought of what the rings would look like. He knew Connor wasn't ready yet, but he couldn't wait until he was. 

 

The android wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with the young detective. Hank would make sure they had the most gorgeous wedding, all of their friends invited of course. Maybe he could even train Sumo to be the ring bearer. 

 

Did Connor want children? Hank would love to have a little version of Connor running around the house, someone they could take care of together, someone to raise with the best morals and values in mind. Hank wasn't sure if he wanted children himself, but he would make it work for Connor. 

 

Maybe they could go to hospitals and volunteer to take care of drug-addicted babies, sadly there sure were a lot of them that needed it. Maybe they could foster children, Hank liked that idea. They had lots of time to decide. 

 

And when the time came for Connor to pass on, Hank would plan the most gorgeous funeral for him. Make sure it was what he would want. He would try his best to hold it together but already knew that he would fail and he was playing with that. 

 

After everything was dealt with and everything was settled, he was more than ready to prepare himself for what was to come. Whether he would continue with life or opt to join Connor in the afterlife, he wasn't sure yet. He had to consider that there would be left behind. Possible animals or children. 

 

They had many years to make all of those memories, Hank just couldn't wait to make them. The android pushed as much feeling of love and compassion into the interface, even though Connor couldn't feel it. He just wanted Connor to know how much he loved him and this was the more intense way of expression as an android. 

 

Hank let out a choked sob as the tears flowed down his face. He couldn't describe how much he loved Connor, but he wanted so badly for the human to know. He wished there was a way for humans to feel the raw emotions coming from another, as androids could through an interface. 

 

He loved the human so much it hurts. He thought about how this could have been the thing that ended Connor's life. The human would have passed away not knowing how much the android loved him or how much he meant to him. Hank was not going to make that mistake again. 

 

He leaned forward so that his forehead was rested on the human's chest and allowed one arm to reach under his body as the other reached over, effectively holding the human close. He continued to sob as he thought about what great things that were to come and all of the memories they would have together. He thought about how it all could have been destroyed in a second. 

 

And, he sobbed.

 

“I l-l-love y-y-you...so s-so much.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for waiting so patiently for a new chapter! I know its been some time since the last one, sorry about that.
> 
> So, I am going to be starting college in September, so it might be a while before the next update :( I just ask you all to be kind and patient with me because I can promise you I will be struggling hah. If worse comes to worst, I'm done with school in December so I can update then, it's not something I want to do because that is a looooong time, so I will try my best to write while I'm there I promise!!!
> 
> Please check out my beta-reader, LadyAmalthea, she is such a freakin sweetheart and I would be nowhere near the good without her. I owe so much to her!!
> 
> So anyway, please let me know what you thought of the chapter! Let me know what you want to see from this story! (Also, I kind of regret not amputating his leg!! But whatever hah)
> 
> Have a good day!!


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